How Texas Longhorns 2024 Playoff Loss to Washington Fuels Hope vs. Ohio State

The Texas Longhorns spoke to the media ahead of this year's College Football Playoff semifinal and said that their previous experience has shaped their approach for victory this time around.

Texas Longhorns wide receiver Jordan Whittington (13) breaks a tackle by Washington linebacker Edefuan Ulofoshio (5) during the Sugar Bowl College Football Playoff semifinals game at the Caesars Superdome on Monday, Jan. 1, 2024 in New Orleans, Louisiana. / Aaron E. Martinez/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Texas Longhorns are just one game away from competing for the national championship.

Four contenders remain in the updated 12-team College Football Playoff, and with their double overtime win against Arizona State, the Longhorns have become the only program from last year's Playoff semifinal lineup to return this season.

But this time, Texas hopes to clinch its spot in the final round rather than repeat its devastating loss to Washington last January. The Longhorns narrowly missed their shot to win the golden trophy during the 2024 Sugar Bowl, losing to the Huskies 37-31, a moment that has left a sour taste in their mouth ever since.

Defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski spoke to the media on Wednesday ahead of the Cotton Bowl matchup and said he believes that the Longhorns' previous experience of competing in the Playoff has fueled their development throughout the season.

Washington wide receiver Jalen McMillan (11) mocks Texas fans with the \"horns down\" sign during the Sugar Bowl College Football Playoff semifinals game against the Texas Longhorns at the Caesars Superdome on Monday, Jan. 1, 2024 in New Orleans, Louisiana. / Aaron E. Martinez/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK

"Having that experience, for sure, helps. We knew what it felt like when we lost. Get there, get a taste of it, one play away from the championship last year. I think that experience is a big reason why they've done a great job with their preparation all year long, because they know how hard it was last year to get there," Kwiatkowski said. "The pain of losing that game. It's about the small things, the small details. To the young guys, when they first start hearing that, they sort of tune you out. But you just keep presenting it to them: We would have done this here, run that, had our eyes here. All those little details every play. Understanding that is the difference between winning and losing, not on any given play, but a game. That's resonating to where we're more dialed in to how important practice is and preparation."

Senior defensive back Jahdae Barron similarly mentioned feeling the disappointment of missing out on the national championship finals last year and said that it has shaped the team's approach for the better.

"I think when you've been somewhere and it didn't go as planned, now you have that taste in your mouth. Rather than when somebody's never been there and they get the first taste -- like last year when we got the taste, and it hurt bad. Now you know what that taste is like, kind of like when you touch a stove, you're not going to touch that stove again. So we don't want to be on the other side of that again. That most definitely helped people's mindset and how we go about business and things like that," Barron said.

When asked if the loss to Washington created a sense of unfinished business, especially with Barron coming back for a fifth season at Texas, he said that he's just excited to have a second chance at all.

Jan 1, 2024; New Orleans, LA, USA; Washington Huskies wide receiver Jalen McMillan (11) is hit by Texas defensive back Jahdae Barron (23) during the second quarter of the 2024 Sugar Bowl college football playoff semifinal game at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images / Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

"I just look at it as another opportunity. We're blessed to have another opportunity to be where we're at today, basically where we were a year ago," Barron said. "So, just to take it on and don't take anything for granted. You know, give it all you have. Give every second and every minute and every hour and every day and every next day all it deserves."

Underclassmen, like sophomore linebacker Anthony Hill Jr., got a taste of being a Playoff team early on in their careers and don't share the same defeat as their upperclassmen counterparts.

But this in turn has shown them that competing for a national championship should be the standard at Texas from here on out.

"I was a young guy, so this was my first time around. I'm kind of getting older, so I kind of understand how hard it was getting to this moment. First, to be able to do it again is pretty cool, and I feel like it shaped our culture because it kind of set the standard for the team," Hill said. "And now that we're in a new era of Texas football, I feel like this is where we need to be every year from now on."

The Longhorns will face the Ohio State Buckeyes on Friday, Jan. 10 in Arlington with kickoff set for 6:30 p.m. CT.

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