Paul Finebaum's Final Take on Texas' College Football Playoff Fate Might Surprise You

One of the leading SEC pundits delivered his thoughts on if the Texas Longhorns deserve a spot in the College Football Playoff.

Paul Finebaum does a live report from SEC Media Day at the Omni Hotel. | Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images

The Texas Longhorns have been one of the more polarizing teams in college football this season. They opened the year as the preseason No. 1-ranked team, and now at the end of the season, they sit ranked 14th in the AP poll with three losses.

While the losses may be part of their record, they also have three top-10 wins to their credit, and two of their three losses were to teams ranked in the top five. Now that the regular season is behind them, the Longhorns await their fate from the College Football Playoff committee, waiting to see if they have done enough to earn a spot in the 12-team bracket.

Paul Finebaum went to bat for the Longhorns, just as head coach Steve Sarkisian did, and the players on the team, about their resume and potential for the season. As one of the leading SEC analysts, he believes the Longhorns will be unfairly punished.

Paul Finebaum Views Texas Longhorns as Playoff Team

Oct 5, 2024; College Station, Texas, USA; SEC Nation analyst Paul Finebaum looks on prior to the game between the Texas A&M Aggies and the Missouri Tigers at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images. | Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

The Longhorns desperately needed a win against their bitter rivals, the Texas A&M Aggies, to keep their playoff hopes alive, and they delivered, winning their second straight Lone Star Showdown. That win ignited the conversation about whether they had done enough to earn a spot and become the first three-loss team to make the bracket. While many are focused on the amount of losses, the main point is who the loss was to, as they dropped the season opener on the road in a non-conference matchup against the defending national champions, the Ohio State Buckeyes.

“I think that Sarkisian makes a (relevant) point, and it’s really about the first game,” said Finebaum said on the SEC Network. “Texas decided to go to Ohio State and play a meaningful game in one of the biggest games of the year in college football. Had they played Kennesaw State, which Indiana played, or Oklahoma State, one of the worst teams in the country, which Oregon played, or some of these other competitors… They wouldn’t be in this situation. They had the bad loss to Florida, but they have the significant wins, which overcome that."

The Longhorns have their shortcomings and may have struggled in wins against lower-tiered conference opponents, but if they are left out due to their willingness to schedule challenging out-of-conference games, it could set a bad precedent.

With the SEC forcing teams to plan a Power Five non-conference opponent, the Longhorns could meet the requirement while opting for lower-risk opponents, such as Rutgers or Purdue, rather than challenging themselves and giving fans a top-tier game worthy of watching.

“So I think they’re gonna be penalized for doing the right thing, and that’s wrong," Finebaum continued on. "And in my mind, Texas belongs in the College Football Playoff, even with that record.”

The Longhorns will learn their fate when the final rankings are released on Sunday, Dec 7.