Texas' Unusual Resume Earns Favorable Spot in First CFP Rankings

Despite two disappointing losses, Texas debuted at No. 7 in the first College Football Playoff rankings. Three victories over top-13 opponents appear to have carried more weight with the committee than with AP voters.

Oct 31, 2026; Austin, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns linebacker Justin Cryer reacts after making a sack during the second half against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Scott Wachter-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Texas has beaten three of the best teams in college football.

It also lost to an Oklahoma team sitting at .500.

On Tuesday, the College Football Playoff selection committee made clear which side of that resume it values more.

Despite their two losses, the Longhorns debuted at No. 7 in the season's first CFP rankings, three spots higher than their standing in the AP Top 25 and ahead of undefeated UCLA, one-loss BYU and Notre Dame.

For a Longhorns team that has experienced both remarkable highs and disappointing lows, the ranking represents a significant vote of confidence from the committee.

But does Texas’ resume justify that confidence?

Three Ranked Wins Outweigh Two Losses

Oct 31, 2026; Austin, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns Head Coach Steve Sarkisian enters Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium before a game against the Mississippi State Bulldogs. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Few teams in college football can match the quality of Texas’ wins.

The Longhorns have beaten three teams currently ranked inside the committee’s top 13: No. 10 Ole Miss, No. 12 Ohio State and No. 13 Tennessee.

All three share Texas' 6–2 record, but their own resumes offer further evidence of just how impressive those victories were.

Ole Miss owns victories over No. 14 LSU and No. 18 Missouri, while Ohio State has defeated No. 4 Indiana. Then there’s Tennessee, which handed No. 5 Alabama a 26–10 defeat.

Those results make Texas’ victories particularly valuable, but they also expose an interesting contradiction.

Each of the three teams Texas defeated has exclusively lost to opponents currently ranked in the CFP top 25.

Texas cannot say the same.

The Longhorns suffered consecutive 27-24 defeats against Florida and Oklahoma, the latter of which has fallen to .500 and failed to crack the committee’s initial rankings.

Yet Texas ranks ahead of all three teams it defeated, suggesting the strength of its victories has helped outweigh the Longhorns' less impressive losses.

A Different Standard Than the AP Poll

Oct 24, 2026; Austin, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning throws a pass during the second half against the Mississippi Rebels at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Scott Wachter-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

That emphasis on head-to-head and quality victories becomes even clearer when comparing Tuesday’s rankings to the AP Top 25.

While AP voters placed Texas at No. 10, the committee took a noticeably different approach, elevating the Longhorns above three teams with better records.

Notre Dame experienced the most dramatic difference, falling from No. 4 in the AP Poll to No. 11 in the CFP rankings despite its 7-1 record. Undefeated UCLA landed at No. 8 after being ranked fifth by AP voters, while one-loss BYU dropped from seventh to ninth.

But unlike Texas, Notre Dame has yet to find a truly season-defining win, let alone a win against a ranked opponent.  

“When you look at Notre Dame's schedule and the wins they have versus the teams that are ahead of them, they don't have that signature win right now,” CFP selection committee chair Hunter Yurachek said on ESPN.

Texas, meanwhile, has three.

That distinction fits the committee's stated evaluation criteria, which consider strength of schedule, head-to-head results and performances against common opponents when comparing teams with similar resumes.

For Texas, those factors offer some explanation for its favorable positioning. Three top-13 victories, including head-to-head wins over teams with identical records, have seemingly outweighed the damage inflicted by its losses to Florida and Oklahoma.

But that balance could quickly change.

The Longhorns still face daunting road trips to Missouri and LSU, presenting two opportunities that could strengthen their playoff case just as well as they could end it.

For now, Texas has earned the committee's confidence despite its shortcomings. All that’s left to do is see if it can keep it.

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