Texas Longhorns Projected To Sneak Past Washington By 247Sports Analysts

The Texas Longhorns will be playing in their first-ever College Football Playoff game on Monday against the Washington Huskies.

On Monday, the No. 3 Texas Longhorns will be taking on the No. 2 Washington Huskies in the Allstate Sugar Bowl with a trip to the championship on the line.

The Texas program has long been clamoring to get back to competing at the highest level, but it wasn't an easy path by any means. The concept of Texas being "back" went from a genuine question to a meme, and it wasn't until Steve Sarkisian's third year that the program came close to competing.

Following a regular season that saw them drop just one game against Oklahoma, the Longhorns went on to blow out Oklahoma State in the Big 12 title game. A showing that they parlayed into a trip to the playoff, which now has many debating just how far they can go this year.

247Sports' Chris Hummer and Brad Crawford provided predictions for the 17 remaining bowl games, and when it came to Texas taking on Washington, they both had them winning.

Dec 29, 2022; San Antonio, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns quarterback Quinn Ewers (3) passes during the first half against the Washington Huskies in the 2022 Alamo Bowl at the Alamodome. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Dunn-USA TODAY Sports / Daniel Dunn-USA TODAY Sports

Using a spread that has Texas favored by 4.5, Hummer projected that Texas would win by a score of 35-34. He revealed that he thinks Washington can take advantage of their secondary, which is what will keep the game close but did explain that the Longhorns are the more complete team. 

"If there’s a worry for the Longhorns, it’s that Washington can expose their real weakness: A so-so secondary that’s susceptible to talented passing attacks. In a matchup that’s as close as this one, I’m going to lean toward the more talented, balanced team. That’s Texas. As long as Ewers can play clean, the Longhorns head to the national title game," wrote Hummer. 

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Crawford also agreed that Texas would be victorious, but he thinks they will cover the spread as well, adding a score prediction of 34-24. He revealed that he thinks Washington's luck will run out, as the Huskies were on the right end of a handful of narrow victories down the stretch.

A win against Washington would pit Texas against Alabama or Michigan, both of whom Texas is projected to be underdogs against.