Longhorns Country

'What Are We Doing?' Joel Klatt Blasts CFP Committee; Texas Longhorns Getting 'Boxed Out'?

Analyst Joel Klatt thinks the Texas Longhorns are getting 'boxed out' of the College Football Playoff

Matt Galatzan

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The Texas Longhorns are in the best position they have been in to make the College Football Playoff since its inception nearly a decade ago, currently sitting at No. 7 overall in the rankings. 

The Longhorns also have the benefit of holding arguably the best win in the country, after heading to Tuscaloosa in Week 2 and dominating the Alabama Crimson Tide - the same Alabama team that has looked like a juggernaut in recent weeks. 

However, according to College Football Analyst Joel Klatt, the Longhorns should be in an even better position and desire to be ranked as the top one-loss team in the rankings.

"Texas is still getting the benefit of the doubt because they beat Alabama in their home stadium by double digits and apparently that doesn't mean a lot to those who are talking about these rankings," Klatt said on his YouTube show. "Or it's just one factor. Like what are we doing?"

Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian.
Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian / © Aaron E. Martinez, Austin American-Statesman

As a result of the current rankings, Texas now finds itself in a precarious position with just two weeks left in the regular season, seemingly needing losses from some combination of Oregon, Washington, Florida State or one of Michigan or Ohio State to have a chance at breaking through to the playoff. 

Fortunately for Texas, the Michigan/Ohio State problem will take care of itself on Nov. 25, while Washington and Oregon will likely face off again in the Pac-12 title game.

However, outside of that, Texas is facing a significant roadblock, and Klatt believes it could be a problem. 

"A real bind," Klatt said. "When you start looking at these closely, you start realizing that Texas is being boxed out probably three different ways. And it's going to be really tough for them to overcome this. Texas needs help."

In other words, Longhorns fans need to become big fans of Florida and Oregon State for the remainder of the regular season.

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Matt Galatzan
MATT GALATZAN

Matt Galatzan is the Managing Editor and Publisher of Texas Longhorns On SI and Texas A&M Aggies On SI and a long-time member of the Football Writer’s Association of America. He graduated from the University of Mississippi, where he studied integrated marketing communications, with minors in journalism and business administration. Galatzan started in the sports journalism industry in 2014 covering the Dallas Mavericks and SMU Mustangs with 247Sports. He then moved to Sports Illustrated's Fan Nation network in 2020, eventually being taking over as the Managing Editor and Publisher of the Longhorns and Aggies sites a year later. You can find Galatzan on all major social media channels, including Twitter on @MattGalatzan.

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