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Report: College Football Playoff Planning Expansion to 14 Teams - Longhorns Tracker

Keep up to date with all the latest news surrounding the Texas Longhorns and college football.

Matt Galatzan

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MARCH 14 CFP TO EXPAND The Texas Longhorns made it to their first every College Football Playoff in 2023, narrowly falling to the Washington Huskies for a bid to the national title game on a heartbreaking finish.

The playoff, which is set to expand to 12 teams next season, will see the five highest-ranked conference champions get automatic bids, with the next seven teams in the rankings filling out the rest of the bracket. The top four seeds will get a first-round bye.

But now, according to reports from ESPN's Heather Dinich and Pete Thamel, the College Football Playoff is set to expand to 14 teams in 2026.

"The details of what's expected to be a 14-team field won't be determined until after the TV deal is done," ESPN wrote.

Teams from the power conferences, as well as Notre Dame, are aiming to meet Friday for contract discussions.

MARCH 11 MILE HIGH ROACH According to multiple reports, former Texas Longhorns standout defensive tackle Malcolm Roach is set to sign a two-year $8 million deal with the Denver Broncos. 

According to reports from Chris Tommason of the Denver Gazette, the Rams, Cardinals, Bills and Bengals all 'expressed a lot of interest' in defensive tackle Malcolm Roach since the beginning of the legal tampering period on Monday. 

It was the Broncos, however, that ultimately won out for the former Horns star.

MAR 2 YOUNG GOAT? The debate for the best college quarterback in the BCS or College Football Playoff era will rage on for as long as it takes. 

But one of the best to ever do it - former Auburn star Cam Newton - has weighed in, and he picked a Longhorn. 

According to Newton, Texas legend, Vince Young is the best college quarterback to play since the year 2000, beating out names such as himself, Tim Tebow, Matt Leinart, Tua Tagovialoa, Johnny Manziel, and others. 

"No. 1 in my list is Vince Young," Newton said. "The Rose Bowl. What he was able to do that game, no moment was ever too big for him." 

While it is hard to argue against Young being the choice, one thing he doesn't have that Newton, and those other names do is a Heisman Trophy.

That said, there are many that believe that Young should have won the trophy over Reggie Bush. 

Either way, it is nice to see arguably the best quarterback in college football history get his due.

MAR 1 SANDERS RUNS 40 Former Texas Longhorns tight end Ja'Tavion Sanders is expected to be one of the first at his position selected in the 2024 NFL Draft. To help boost his stock even more, he's taking part in the NFL Scouting Combine, and ran his 40-yard dash on Friday evening in Indianapolis.

Sanders finished with an unofficial 4.74 on his first attempt and a 4.69 on his second.

Take a look at his second attempt:

 

FEB 29 SWEAT FLIES At the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis on Wednesday, Texas Longhorns defensive tackle T'Vondre Sweat teased that he would surprise with his speed during the 40-yard dash. 

“I’m just a big guy," Sweat said. "A lot of people get scared of the numbers and all that, but when y’all see me move tomorrow, I think a lot of people are going to be surprised.”

And on Thursday afternoon, he did just that, running a 5.27 on his first attempt. He declined to run a second time.

Sweat also tested in other metrics on Thursday, hitting a 26-inch vertical and an 8' 2" broad jump. 

Longhorns standout Byron Murphy also tested, running a 4.90 40-yard dash (1.69 10-yard split) on attempt one, jumping a 33-inch vertical, and a 9' 3" broad jump. Murphy's second 40 clocked in at 4.8 (1.70 10-yard split).

FEB 27 CUNNINGHAM HOOKS EM After being ejected vs. the Texas Tech Red Raiders, Longhorns forward Brock Cunningham taunted the fans with hook'em horns after his ejection. 

Texas Tech fans were not happy throwing debris onto the court. 

Tech coach Grant McCasland spoke to the fans afterward on the arena microphone, telling them to stop. 

“Everybody listen. Hey, right here. Everybody listen," said McCasland. "Everything that gets thrown on the floor, we’re going to get a technical foul. Listen to me. It’s got to stop. It’s got to stop. Nothing else on the floor. Am I clear?”

FEB 16 MOCK MOCKS The Texas Longhorns are in the midst of winter workouts as they gear up for spring football next month. 

And as is typically the case, the Longhorns football video team is on top of the action, recently releasing an exceptional video of the intense workouts. 

In response to the video, former Texas quarterback Chance Mock lauded the physical change in the Longhorns players and managed to shade Texas A&M in the process. 

“I’m just gonna say it… either the (Texas football) videography team is significantly better… or this team looks much bigger, faster, quicker, and explosive than the players in the video the Ags released yesterday,” Mock said on X.

The Longhorns, who are of course officially heading to the SEC this summer, are set to reignite their rivalry with the Aggies next season in College Station next November. 

FEB 14 OMENIHU SPEAKS Tragedy struck on Wednesday afternoon when alleged gunmen opened fire during the Chiefs Super Bowl parade in Kansas City.

Following the shooting, one person has been confirmed dead with three others in critical condition.

Five other victims are also in serious condition, with an estimated total of 10-15 total injuries in the incident. Two suspects have been arrested and are in custody.

Following the shooting, former Longhorns defensive end Charles Omeninhu shared his thoughts and prayers with the victims and spoke out about American gun laws.

"Prayers for those affected at today’s parade," Omenihu said on X. "A time of celebration ends in tragedy. When are we going to fix these gun laws? How many more people have to die to say enough is enough? It’s too easy for the wrong people to obtain guns in America and that’s a FACT."

Omenihu played for the Longhorns from 2015-2018 and was named Big 12 defensive lineman of the year in his senior season. In 2019, he was drafted in the fifth round by the Houston Texans. He now plays for the Chiefs.

FEB 13 ESPN KEEPS CFP According to reports from the Athletic's Andrew Marchand, the College Football Playoff and ESPN have reached an agreement on a six-year $7.8 billion extension to keep the event and the network together. 

However, per the report, that agreement is still pending the resolution of specific issues for the CFP.

“The full contract’s completion is still contingent on CFP leaders finalizing details of the expanded format in the wake of the implosion of the Pac-12,” Marchand said. “The CFP’s management committee and board of managers have meetings scheduled for next week and continue to work through the complicated process of settling their outstanding issues.

“The ESPN deal will not be ratified until the commissioners and presidents vote on the structure and financials of the expanded CFP. ESPN senior vice president of communication Josh Krulewitz and College Football Playoff executive director Bill Hancock both declined to comment.”

The Texas Longhorns are coming off their first playoff appearance in program history last season, narrowly falling to the Washington Huskies on a heartbreaking final play.

The playoff is set to expand to a 12-team format next season. 

FEB 11 LONGHORNS LEGEND TALKS ALS BATTLE Texas Longhorns legend and former Chicago Bears defensive tackle Steve McMichael was officially inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2024 on Thursday at NFL Honors.

But amid his lengthy journey to Canton, McMichael has been battling ALS since announcing his diagnosis in April 2021.

ESPN's Adam Schefter shared an emotional mini-documentary of McMichael detailing his journey with the disease. 

Take a look:

FEB 8 STROUD OVER BIJAN Texas Longhorns star and Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson had a stellar rookie season. 

However, it wasn't enough to earn him the post season honor of NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, with Houston Texans QB C.J. Stroud taking home the award on Thursday night. 

Robinson was up for the award alongside Stroud, Lions standouts Jahmyr Gibbs and Sam LaPorta, and Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua.

FEB 7 SABAN TO GAMEDAY After more than a decade and a half with the Alabama Crimson Tide, legendary head coach Nick Saban is set to join the cast of ESPN's College Game Day next fall alongside Rece Davis, Desmond Howard, Kirk Herbstreit, Lee Corso

“ESPN and College GameDay have played such an important role in the growth of college football, and I’m honored to have the opportunity to join their team,” Saban said in a release. “I’ll do my best to offer additional insights and perspectives to contribute to College GameDay, the ultimate Saturday tradition for college football fans.” and Pat McAfee.

ESPN has yet to announce his first assignment. 

“Nick Saban is a singular, iconic presence in college football. He is also an extremely gifted communicator, who will immediately add even more credibility, authority and entertainment value to ESPN, including our esteemed College GameDay show,” ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro said.

FEB 6 LONGHORNS ANNOUNCE STAFF PROMOTIONS The Texas Longhorns are making some changes within their recruiting and player personnel staff.

The Texas Football X account tweeted out the news on Tuesday night, saying that coach Steve Sarkisian has officially announced the promotions.

Here are the following changes:

- Brandon Harris, General Manager 

- John Michael Jones, Dir. of Player Personnel 

- Taylor Searels, Dir. of Recruiting 

- Kyndal Perry, Dir. of Recruiting Operations

Take a look at each staff member below:

JAN 31 SWEAT DOMINATES T'Vondre Sweat was arguably the Texas Longhorns top defensive player this past season, cruising his way to unanimous first-team All-American honors, the Outland Trophy and much more. 

Now that he is off to the next level, Sweat has begun his NFL Draft preparation, beginning with the Reese's Senior Bowl.

And by all accounts, Sweat is dominating the proceedings, crushing former Arkansas center Beaux Limmer during practice reps.

On the next rep, he can be seen dominating Texas A&M guard, Layden Robinson. 

As it stands, Sweat ranks as a top 50 prospect and is a fringe first-round prospect depending on which expert you ask. 

But if Sweat can continue to put up this kind of performance leading up to draft day, he should continue to rise up boards. 

JAN 17 'STARTED FROM THE BOTTOM, NOW WE'RE HERE' Former Texas Longhorns quarterback and assistant coach Major Applewhite is set to become the South Alabama Jaguars' new coach, per a report from ESPN's Pete Thamel. 

Applewhite is being elevated from his current position as quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator to replace Kane Wommack as the Jaguars coach, who left for the defensive coordinator role at Alabama under Kalen DeBoer.

Applewhite, the 45-year-old Texas-Ex, quickly decided to end his playing career after being signed by the New England Patriots as an undrafted free agent following the 2002 NFL Draft, as he instead finished out school and became a coach. 

After being a graduate assistant for two years at Texas, working under then-coach Mack Brown in 2003 and '04, he spent a year at Syracuse, Rice, and Alabama before finding himself back in Austin for the next five years. Firstly as running backs coach before being promoted to co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks. 

From there, after a year off from coaching, Applewhite spent three seasons at Houston before returning to Alabama for two seasons as an analyst, where afterward, he'd take the offensive coordinator job at South Alabama in 2021.

JAN 11 THOMPSON COMMITS TO OU Former Texas Longhorns quarterback Casey Thompson will be returning to college football for a seventh season, committing to the Oklahoma Sooners on Thursday. 

It will be Thompson's fourth team since 2021, leaving Texas and eventually transferring to Nebraska, followed by Florida Atlantic. 

Thompson, who has thrown for 5,338 yards and 52 touchdowns in his career, will likely be a backup to Jackson Arnold in Norman. 

He is a native of New Castle, Oklahoma, signing with Texas as a member of the 2018 class.

JAN 10 NO MORE SABAN The Texas Longhorns are set to enter the SEC for the 2024 football season, looking to make a statement in their first year in the conference. 

And now, it appears that one major obstacle could be out of the way - or at the very least less of a threat - with legendary Alabama Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban set to retire, per a report from ESPN's Chris Low. 

Saban has reportedly already informed his team of his intention to retire. 

Saban, who is arguably the best coach in the history of college football, now hangs it up after winning seven national championships, 11 SEC titles, 12 SEC West Titles, two Paul Bear Bryant Awards, and multiple other accolades throughout his pristine career.

The Longhorns were 1-1 against Saban in the last two years, with a resounding victory coming this past September in a 34-24 win in Tuscaloosa - a win that helped cement the Longhorns playoff case.  

Per ESPN's Pete Thamel, Oregon's Dan Lanning, Washington's Kalen DeBoer, Clemson's Dabo Swinney, Penn State's James Franklin, Florida State's Mike Norvell, and Notre Dame's Marcus Freeman have been listed as potential replacements. 

JAN 8 KROB TO DRAFT Another impact player for the Texas Longhorns is heading to the 2024 NFL Draft, with all-purpose back Keilan Robinson becoming the latest to declare. 

"Thank you to everyone who has helped me get to where I am today," Robinson said in his announcement. "I will be declaring for the 2024 NFL Draft."

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Robinson first transferred to Texas from Alabama ahead of the 2021 season, following Steve Sarkisian to the Longhorns. 

In his time with Texas, Robinson rushed for 542 yards on 82 carries and had 332 receiving yards on 35 catches with 11 total touchdowns from scrimmage. He was also one of the most electric return specialists in the country running back both a punt and a kick for a score over the last two seasons. 

Robinson could have conceivably earned a waiver year from the NCAA for another year of eligibility. Instead, he will enter the draft where he is projected as an undrafted free agent.

JAN 2 X VS LEON The Texas Longhorns and Texas A&M Aggies are set to renew their rivalry in 2024, but it seems that things have already started to kick off. 

Following the Longhorns narrow loss to the Washington Huskies on Monday night, former Aggies Leon O'Neal Jr. and Texas star receiver Xavier Worthy exchanged jabs on X. 

O'Neal attempted to call out the Horns for their loss, sending a dig in their direction.

"Them boys had one good year and stg they dynasty yall went 8-5 last year and 5-7 year before yall act like yall (expletive) don’t stink," O'Neal wrote. 

Worthy then responded in kind.

"Who tf are u?" Worthy said.

If nothing else, the stage in College Station next season is going to be one heck of an atmosphere.

JAN 1 MCCONAUGHEY SPEAKS The Texas Longhorns are set to take on the Washington Huskies in the College Football Playoff at the Sugar Bowl for a right to advance to the national title game in Houston next week. 

In preparation for that game, longtime Longhorns fan Matthew McConaughey gave the team a pre-game hype speech, via his personal X account. 

You can watch the video here:

DEC 3 HORNS TO NOLA The Texas Longhorns are heading to the College Football Playoff, coming in at No. 3 in the final rankings after their Big 12 Championship domination over Oklahoma State.

And when the rankings were announced, the Horns watch party might have been the loudest place in Texas.

You can relive that moment in this video below:

DEC 2 WORTHY HURT With the team up 42-14 in the fourth quarter, Texas Longhorns star wide receiver Xavier Worthy was injured while running after the catch in an attempt to reach the first down marker on third and long. 

Worthy had a lower-body injury against Texas Tech, and appears to have yet another lower-body issue after the tackle.

Worthy was helped to the locker room shortly after the injury.

At the time of the injury, Worthy had six catches for 86 yards. 

Worthy has been ruled out for the remainder of the game, after returning to the sidelines with crutches and a boot on his ankle.

DEC 2 RYAN WATTS OUT? Ahead of today's Big 12 Championship in Arlington against Oklahoma State, Texas Longhorns cornerback Ryan Watts is not dressed to play as the Longhorns go through warmups at AT&T Stadium and is presumably out for the contest. He's wearing However, the team has not provided an official word on his status.

Texas defensive back Austin Jordan has already been ruled out for Saturday's game.

Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said Monday that Watts would carry a questionable tag ahead of the Big 12 title game. He suffered a back injury on the first play from scrimmage in the 57-7 win over Texas Tech on Nov. 24. He exited to the locker room and didn't return.

In his potential absence, the Longhorns will rely on Malik Muhammad and Terrence Brooks at cornerback.

DEC. 1 TOO FAR - The Big 12 Championship game between the Texas Longhorns and Oklahoma State Cowboys is one of the biggest matchups of the college football weekend on Saturday. 

And while there is certainly no love lost between the two programs, someone in Stillwater has now taken "Texas Hate Week" way too far. 

According to the Oklahoma State student newspaper, The O'Colly, a dead longhorn steer was found in the front yard of the FarmHouse fraternity house. Per photos of the incident, the steer's stomach had been cut open, with the message "(expletive) FH" painted on its side.

The Oklahoman newspaper has also reported that the carcass has been removed, and the Stillwater Police are actively investigating the crime. 

NOV 30 JORDAN OUT Texas Longhorns coach Steve Sarkisian provided an injury update when speaking to the media on Thursday ahead of Saturday's Big 12 title game against the Oklahoma State Cowboys in Arlington.

Sarkisian noted that cornerback Austin Jordan will be out for the game, but from the looks of things, it appears that Xavier Worthy, will be ready to go.

Ryan Watts, who was listed as questionable on Monday, remains questionable on Thursday.

"Everybody else is pretty status quo from what I touched on on Monday."

Watts got injured on the first play from scrimmage in Friday's 57-7 win over Texas Tech. Worthy had to be helped off to the sideline on two separate occasions while Murphy got injured due to some friendly fire on the sidelines.

NOV 29 SAY WHAT PAUL? The Texas Longhorns will be fighting for their College Football Playoff lives this weekend against the Oklahoma State Cowboys. 

Not only will the Horns need a win over Oklahoma State to stay in the discussion, but they also likely need a Florida State loss. 

If that happens, Texas should be in. However, should Alabama beat Georgia in the SEC Championship game, Paul Finebaum thinks otherwise.

"To me, Alabama and Texas are razor close," Finebaum said on ESPN's Get Up. "I’ll give Alabama the edge for one reason, because they would’ve beaten the biggest bully in the land, and that should count for something. That game on September 9 is important, but it’s not very important to me, because in my eyes, looking at college football, I see a better team in Alabama."

Despite Finebaum's attempts to overlook the matchup in Tuscaloosa, the Horns won the head-to-head matchup over Alabama by double-digit points. And that cannot be ignored. 

Not only that, but ESPN's FPI rankings, which take into account every facet of a team's resumè, indicate that Texas outclasses Alabama in nearly every category. 

All that said, none of that matters if either Texas or Alabama lose on Saturday.

NOV 27 RIVALRY RENEWED According to a report from ESPN's Chris Low, the date for the renewed rivalry between the Texas Longhorns and Texas A&M Aggies has been revealed. 

Per Low, the Aggies and Longhorns will face off in College Station on Saturday, Nov. 30, which will be the final game of the regular season for both teams. 

Said Low:

"Texas and Texas A&M will also renew their rivalry next season after a 12-year hiatus. The game will be played Saturday, Nov. 30, in College Station to close the regular season, according to sources. Traditionally, Texas and Texas A&M have always played on either Thanksgiving Day or the Friday after Thanksgiving."

The Aggies and Longhorns have not faced off on the gridiron since 2011, when the Longhorns won 27-25 on a walk-off field goal.

Texas will also reportedly play Georgia on Oct. 19 and Arkansas on Nov. 16.

NOV 27 TEXAS INJURY REPORT Texas Longhorns coach Steve Sarkisian provided an injury update when speaking to the media on Monday ahead of Saturday's Big 12 title game against the Oklahoma State Cowboys in Arlington.

Sarkisian said that defensive backs Ryan Watts and Austin Jordan are both questionable. He also said that quarterback Maalik Murphy practiced on Monday and receiver Xavier Worthy will be "good to go."

Watts got injured on the first play from scrimmage in Friday's 57-7 win over Texas Tech. Worthy had to be helped off to the sideline on two separate occasions while Murphy got injured due to some friendly fire on the sidelines.

NOV 25 BIG 12 TITLE SET After blowing out the Texas Tech Red Raiders in dominant fashion, the Texas Longhorns have locked in a Big 12 Championship berth.

And now, they know who they will face - The Oklahoma State Cowboys.

With their Saturday win over the BYU Cougars, the Cowboys have locked in a spot in Arlington, by virtue of a tiebreaker over the Oklahoma Sooners, who they beat earlier this season.

This Big 12 title bout will be the first matchup of the season between Texas and Oklahoma State and will be the last ever as conference opponents.

NOV 24 CJ BAXTER INJURED The Texas Longhorns have suffered another potentially impactful injury vs. the Texas Tech Red Raiders. This time on the offensive side of the ball.

Early in the third quarter, freshman running back CJ Baxter was knocked out of the game with an undisclosed injury. Baxter was able to walk off the field under his own power but was walking gingerly. 

Baxter was starting in place of star running back Jonathon Brooks, who was lost for the season with a torn ACL. 

Jaydon Blue has replaced Baxter in the lineup for the last two drives.

NOV 24 WATTS INJURED The Texas Longhorns may have suffered a significant early injury vs. the Texas Tech Red Raiders in their regular season finale. 

On the first play from scrimmage, senior defensive back Ryan Watts was injured trying to make a tackle on running back Tahj Brooks. Following the tackle, Watts stayed down for an extended period of time while being attended to by the training staff. 

After being helped to his feet by the training staff, Watts was escorted straight to the locker room for further evaluation.

Watts, a senior, was in the midst of playing his final game at DKR.

NOV 24 SENIOR NIGHT AT DKR The Texas Longhorns are wrapping up their best regular season since 2009 on Saturday night in Austin Against the Texas Tech Red Raiders. 

In the midst of that, the Horns will honor 23 seniors before the game, each of whom will be hitting the field at Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium for the final time. 

You can check out the entire list of players being honored below:

NOV 22 CASE FOR THE HORNS The Texas Longhorns own arguably the best win of any team in college football right now, after marching into Bryant Denny Stadium and beating the then-No. 3 Alabama Crimson Tide by two scores, 34-24.

In that game, the Longhorns clearly looked like the better team as well, dominating the Tide in the fourth quarter to seal the win. 

After the College Football Playoff rankings were released on Tuesday, members of the ESPN panel tried to make the case for Alabama to make the playoff over Texas. 

However, former Tide QB and current ESPN analyst Greg McElroy was having none of it, making a passionate case for Texas over his alma mater.

“Texas beat Alabama. The results have to matter. We have to respect the results. If the committee were to create a precedent by putting Bama in over Texas, that would be doing the college football world a disservice. It would. You have to acknowledge the regular season and by putting Bama ahead of Texas, you’d be saying the regular season does not matter, and that’s not a precedent you want to set.”

The Horns will have two more chances to make their case to the committee in their regular season finale on Friday vs. Texas Tech, and - should they win there - in the Big 12 Championship game. 

NOV 20 MAKE 'EM SWEAT According to power rankings released by On3, Texas Longhorns have a top-10 Heisman contender. Although it is not who you might think. 

In their Week 13 edition of the rankings, On3 has listed, not Quinn Ewers, or Xavier Worthy, or Adonai Mitchell, but defensive tackle T'Vondre Sweat as a top-10 contender for the Heisman Trophy, which is awarded to the 'most outstanding player in college football.'

Sweat currently sits No. 9 behind (in order) LSU QB Jayden Daniels, Oregon QB Bo Nix, Ohio State receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., Washington QB Michael Penix Jr., Georgia QB Carson Beck, Alabama QB Jalen Milroe, Washington receiver Rome Odunze, and LSU receiver Malik Nabers. 

Michigan defensive lineman Kenneth Grant sits one spot behind Sweat at No. 10.

NOV 18 WORTHY INJURED Per FOX's broadcast, Texas Longhorns receiver Xavier Worthy limped back into the locker room at the start of the fourth quarter of Saturday's meeting with the Iowa State Cyclones in Ames. 

He was later ruled out and reportedly was unable to put any weight on his left leg.

It's unclear when exactly Worthy suffered the injury, but the receiving responsibilities would then fall more heavily on Adonai Mitchell along with Jordan Whittington, who caught Texas' first touchdown of the game in the third quarter.

Worthy exited with four catches for 77 yards.

NOV 16 TEXAS SENIOR BOWL INVITES The Texas Longhorns announced that six members of this year's team have received invites to the 2023 Reese's Senior Bowl on Saturday, Feb. 3 in Mobile, Ala.

Those invited were defensive linemen T'Vondre Sweat, Byron Murphy and Alfred Collins, linebacker Jaylan Ford, defensive back Jahdae Barron and offensive tackle Christian Jones. This group will now look to boost their individual draft stock in front of tons of NFL scouts.

No. 7 Texas (9-1) takes on the Iowa State Cyclones in Ames on Saturday.

NOV 12 TEXAS STAYS PUT After their close win vs. the TCU Horned Frogs on Saturday night, the Texas Longhorns remained steady at the No. 7 spot in the AP poll on Sunday.

Elsewhere in the Big 12, Oklahoma moved up three spots to No. 14, while Kansas State stayed at No. 23, and the Oklahoma State Cowboys plummeted nine spots to No. 24.

Kansas also dropped out of the rankings after their loss to Texas Tech.

NOV 11 HORNS 'FEARING THE WORST' FOR BROOKS Texas Longhorns star running back Jonathon Brooks suffered what appears to be a devastating injury on Saturday night vs. the TCU Horned Frogs.

The injury forced Brooks to leave the game for the remainder of the contest, with Brooks needing assistance to get back to the locker room for further evaluation. 

Now, according to reports from the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, it appears the Longhorns are 'fearing the worst' and are not optimistic about the star running back's injury.

"Texas is not optimistic about the injury to RB Johnathan Brooks that could not only jeopardize his status for the rest of the season but also his draft status," Star-Telegram reporter Clarence Hill tweeted. "It is believed to be a knee rather than ankle. He left the stadium on crutches and couldn’t put any weight on it. They are hoping for the best but fearing the worst."

Should this indeed be the end of the season for Brooks, he will finish the year with 166 carries for 1,035 yards and eight touchdowns, averaging a whopping 6.2 yards per carry. 

NOV 11 JONATHON BROOKS INJURED VS TCU Texas Longhorns running back Jonathon Brooks suffered a lower-body injury in the fourth quarter of Saturday's meeting with the TCU Horned Frogs.

After making a catch, Brooks was tackled by his ankles and appeared to suffer an injury to his right ankle. He seen lying down on his back on the sidelines in visible pain. Unable to put any weight on his right leg, he had to have assistance walking by two Texas trainers. Later camera angles showed Brooks walking very gingerly with a trainer back to the Texas locker room.

The Longhorns led 26-13 at the time. Brooks exited with 21 carries for 104 yards and two touchdowns along with three catches for 74 yards.

In Brooks' potential absence, the Longhorns will lean on CJ Baxter, Savion Red, and Jaydon Blue in the backfield.

NOV 9 CATALON, CRAWFORD & CHRISTIAN BACK The good news keeps rolling in for Texas Longhorns fans on Thursday morning. 

According to head coach Steve Sarkisian, both safeties Jalen Catalon and Kitan Crawford will be available vs. the TCU Horned Frogs on Saturday night.

Not only that, but offensive linemen Kelvin Banks and Christian Jones - the latter of which missed Saturday's matchup vs. Kansas State, will also be available. 

Oh, and there is also the small bit of news that starting quarterback Quinn Ewers will be making his return on Saturday as well.

Catalon, who began the season as a starter, has not played since the Horns lost to Oklahoma in early October. 

Crawford, meanwhile missed last week's matchup vs. Kansas State.

In place of Catalon, former walk-on Michael Taaffe filled in admirably, making three interceptions in three straight games vs. Houston, BYU, and Kansas State.

NOV 8 PK IN PLAY? According to a report from USC On3 affiliate WeAreSC, the Trojans have contacted Texas Longhorns defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski to gauge his interest in replacing Alex Grinch. 

Grinch was recently fired by the Trojans after he led a unit that ranked 123rd in total defense and 124th in scoring defense.

Kwiatkowski, who has Pac-12 roots, has the Longhorns ranked No. 17 in the nation in scoring defense and No. 31 in total defense. 

Kwiatkowski also has a preexisting relationship with USC athletic director Jennifer Cohen, who was the AD at Washington while Kwiatkowski was with the Huskies.

NOV 8 HOOVER IN, MORRIS OUT The TCU Horned Frogs will start freshman quarterback Josh Hoover on Saturday against the Texas Longhorns, coach Sonny Dykes announced during his weekly press conference. 

Hoover has started the last handful of games for the Frogs in the wake of a knee injury to starter, Chandler Morris. 

In those three games, Hoover has thrown for nearly 1,000 yards and five touchdowns.

Dykes also gave an update on the status of Morris, saying that he is getting healthier, and is eager to get back into the lineup.

“I think Chandler is healthier," Dykes told the media. "I think the big thing we’re trying to do this week is just get an evaluation on him. He clearly wants to play. He’s excited to get back and help the team win.”

NOV 6 AMES AT NIGHT The Texas Longhorns and Iowa State Cyclones will be facing off in primetime. 

According to a release from the Big 12, Texas and Iowa State are set to kick off at 7 pm CT on Nov. 18, with the game to be broadcast on FOX. 

The Longhorns lead the all-time series vs. the Cyclones 15-5 dating back to 1979. However, the Cyclones have had the Horns number as of late, winning three-straight before last year's Texas win in Austin.

Texas has also lost in its last two trips to Ames in 2021 and 2019.

NOV 6 TEXAS FAVORED The Texas Longhorns have opened as big favorites over the TCU Horned Frogs in Fort Worth next week. 

Per Circa Sports, the No.7 Longhorns will head into Amon G. Carter Stadium as nine-point favorites.

Texas has lost seven of its last 10 matchups vs. the Horned Frogs, including a 17-10 loss in Austin last season. 

The Horns last win in the series came in Fort Worth, however, when Bijan Robinson led the team to a 32-27 win.

NOV 5 TEXAS VS TCU KICKOFF TIME The Texas Longhorns and TCU Horned Frogs will kick off from Fort Worth on Saturday at 6:30 p.m. CT, per an announcement Sunday from the Big 12 Conference.

The Longhorns (8-1) are coming off a 33-30 overtime win over the Kansas State Wildcats on Saturday. TCU (4-5) is on a two-game losing streak after a 35-28 loss to the Texas Tech Red Raiders on Thursday.

Texas leads the all-time series 64-28-1 but lost to TCU 17-10 in Austin last season.

NOV 4 QUINN EWERS BACK SOON? Texas Longhorns quarterback Quinn Ewers has been sidelined for the past few weeks due to an injury he suffered in his throwing shoulder in the 31-24 win over Houston on Oct. 21.

However, The Athletic's Bruce Feldman is reporting that Ewers' return is on the horizon. Feldman reported for FOX from the sideline at DKR before Saturday's Texas vs. K-State game that there's optimism for Ewers to return against TCU on Nov. 11.

"He did throw on Thursday," Feldman said. "We're told they are optimistic he could return as early as next week at TCU."

NOV 4 CONNOR ROBERTSON OUT Texas Longhorns offensive lineman Connor Robertson is out for Saturday's home game against Kansas State.

The Longhorns have been dealing with injuries on offense in recent weeks. Quarterback Quinn Ewers remains out on Saturday while tight end Ja'Tavion Sanders has continued to battle an ankle injury he suffered against Kansas, though he's set to play vs. Kansas State.

No. 7 Texas and No. 23 Kansas State kickoff at 11 a.m. CT.

NOV 3 HORNS UPSET? Former Florida and Mississippi State head coach Dan Mullen is predicting a major upset in Austin on Saturday. 

According to Mullen, the No. 23 Wildcats, who are four-point underdogs to the Horns, will take down No. 7 Texas on their home field. 

Kansas State has historically been a thorn in the side of Texas and their Big 12 title quests. However, the Longhorns have also won the last six games against the Wildcats, dating back to 2017.

And the last time the Wildcats beat Texas in Austin? That was in 2011, when Case McCoy and David Ash were under center, and Mack Brown was still leading the Longhorns.

NOV 2 INJURY UPDATES The Texas Longhorns have been forced to battle a handful of injuries over the last few weeks, most notably with starting quarterback, Quinn Ewers.

However, there have also been other notable injuries for the Horns, including that of starting safety Jalen Catalon and defensive end Ethan Burke. 

On Thursday ahead of their big matchup against the Kansas State Wildcats, Sarkisian updated the status of those two players, noting that he was 'very encouraged' by what he has seen from Burke this week in practice. 

Catalon, however did not have as positive of an update, and is likely to miss the game. 

"I don't think he'll be ready to go Saturday. But he is making good progress for us, which is a positive because we're going to need him down the stretch so to get him back will be big for us."

NOV 1 ALRIGHT ALRIGHT ALRIGHT The Texas Longhorns are set to take on the Kansas State Wildcats on Saturday, in what is one of the biggest matchups of the college football weekend. 

In anticipation of that, FOX's Big Noon Kickoff will arrive in Austin as well. 

Adnnd on Wednesday, the special guest for the broadcast was announced, with noted Longhorns fan Matthew McConaughey set to join the show. 

The Longhorns have won the last six meetings in the series, and are looking to make it seven, with Big 12 championship aspirations on the line for both teams. 

NOV 1 RICKY TO BE HONORED Former Texas Longhorns star Ricky Williams is set to be honored by the program on Saturday against the Kansas State Wildcats.

The school will honor Williams for his 1998 Heisman campaign, in which he set a then-NCAA record for rushing yards in a career with 6,279 yards., and won the award over Kansas State quarterback, Michael Bishop.

Also finalists that season were UCLA QB Cade McNown and Kentucky QB Tim Couch.

In his Heisman campaign, Williams rushed 361 times for 2,124 yards and 27 touchdowns, averaging 5.9 yards per carry. 

Williams was the overwhelming winner of the award, finishing with 714 first-place votes. Bishop, who came in second, finished with 41 first-place votes.

OCT 30 MURPHY TO START The Texas Longhorns are set to start Maalik Murphy for the second-straight game next Saturday when the Longhorns host the Kansas State Wildcats, head coach Steve Sarkisian announced. 

Murphy is coming off of an impressive, albeit still imperfect outing in his debut vs. the BYU Cougars on Saturday, in which he completed 16 of 25 passes for 170 yards and two touchdowns. 

He also had two turnovers, one on an interception and one on a fumble. 

The fumble in the red area, maybe in a practice setting Maalik gets that ball off because the quarterback’s not live and the defender has to pull off and now you can get that throw done," Sarkisian said of the fumble. "In person, now you realize he’s going to hit me if I raise my arm up and the ball is going to come out."

The Longhorns and Wildcats are set to kickoff at 11 a.m.

OCT 29 Fox's Big Noon Kickoff Coming To Austin After their blowout win over new Big 12 team BYU, the Longhorns will welcome No. 25 Kansas State to Austin next week. The game is one that not only has major Big 12 title implications but could very well impact the layout of the College Football Playoff. Two reasons that Fox's Big Noon Kickoff will be in attendance.

In a social media post on Sunday, they announced that they'll be in Austin.

The Longhorns have won the last six meetings, and are looking to make it seven as this could very well be the final times these two programs play.

OCT 28 OU GOES DOWN The Texas Longhorns caught a bit of a break in the Big 12 title race on Saturday when the No. 6 Oklahoma Sooners fell 38-33 to the Kansas Jayhawks in Lawrence. 

During the first half of the matchup between Texas and BYU, the scoreboard operator at Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium put the game-winning play for the Jayhawks on the jumbotron for the Longhorn faithful to watch. 

And the crowd went wild. 

With the Oklahoma loss, and should the results from Saturday as we write this hold, the Sooners will be in a four-way tie with the Longhorns, Kansas State Wildcats and Iowa State Cyclones for first place in the Big 12.

That said, the Sooners still hold a tiebreaker over the Longhorns and Cyclones. Oklahoma does not play Kansas State this season, while the Longhorns will play both the Wild cats and Iowa State next month. 

OCT 28 ARCH DEBUT? According to Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian, heralded true freshman quarterback Arch Manning 'could play' in the Longhorns matchup vs. the BYU Cougars on Saturday. 

"That could happen today," Sarkisian told Tom Luginbill. "We'll see how the game goes and the flow of the game. You never know, you try to plan what could come down the road. If I could get him a little exposure today, that would be great."

Manning has yet to play so far this season and has been the third-string quarterback on gamedays behind Quinn Ewers and Maalik Murphy. 

But with Ewers hurt, and Murphy getting the start, it sounds as though Sarkisian could find a way to get the former five-star NFL legacy involved in the gameplan. 

OCT 26 READY TO GO Starting quarterback Quinn Ewers was far from the only injury casualty the Longhorns have suffered in recent weeks, but on Thursday, head coach Steve Sarkisian provided a very positive update ahead of the BYU Cougars matchup.

Ryan Watts, Jett Bush, Alfred Collins, Gavin Holmes, Terrance Brooks, and Cole Hutson are all going to 'be available' for the Longhorns on Saturday.

"I think all of those guys will be available," Sarkisian said Thursday. "I credit our training staff and their position coaches and those players individually for doing what they needed to do on an individual basis to put themselves in position to be available. Naturally, when Saturday rolls around, a lot of those guys I'm going to be monitoring closely to make sure as a team they're putting us in the best position to have success."

The Longhorns and Cougars kick off at 2:30 p.m.

OCT 21 EWERS INJURED Texas Longhorns quarterback Quinn Ewers had to be taken into the medical tent on the sidelines at the start of the fourth quarter in Saturday's 31-24 win over the Houston Cougars at TDECU Stadium. He didn't return to the game and was seen in a sling after the win.

It's unclear what exactly Ewers' injury is as of now, but he took a hard hit on a short run earlier in the game, though there was no indication of an injury at first. He finished the game 23 of 29 passing for 211 yards and two touchdowns.

Maalik Murphy helped guide the Texas offense in the final stages of the game. He only went 1 of 2 passing for seven yards, as the Longhorns leaned on the ground game. He's now 4 of 8 passing for 47 yards this season. 

Not long after the Ewers injury, defensive back Gavin Holmes and defensive lineman Alfred Collins were also injured and taken to the locker room for evaluation.

OCT 21 MAJORS IN Per Longhorn Network, Texas Longhorns center Jake Majors will play vs. the Houston Cougars on Saturday. 

Majors was injured vs. the Oklahoma Sooners early in the first quarter and was not able to return to the game. 

In place of Majors, freshman Connor Robertson entered the game. 

Now with Majors back in the lineup, the Longhorns will have their entire starting offensive line on the field vs. the Houston defense. 

OCT 16 BYU KICK SET The Texas Longhorns have a big matchup against the Houston Cougars this Saturday at TDECU Stadium. 

After that, however, they will face another critical test on Oct. 28, when they return home to face the BYU Cougars in Austin. 

On Monday, the kickoff time for that matchup was announced by the Big 12, with the Horns and Cougars scheduled to start at 2:30 p.m. at Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium.

It will be the sixth meeting between Texas and BYU and the first as Big 12 opponents. Texas is 1-4 all-time vs. BYU and is 1-2 in Austin vs. the Cougars. The programs last met in 2014, with BYU winning 41-7 in Austin.

The game will be broadcast on ABC.

OCT 12 WORTHY CALLS OUT SOONERS Oklahoma Sooners linebacker Danny Stutsman has thoroughly enjoyed the Red River Showdown win over the Texas Longhorns. 

So much so, that he had special t-shirts made both commemorating the victory and shading the Longhorns as well.

The shirts have a photo of Stutsman on the front smoking a cigar after the win, with the phrase "Oklahoma only fears God, Texas fears Oklahoma" on the back.

And now, Longhorns star Xavier Worthy has responded, taking to Instagram to make fun of Sooners linebacker. 

"You would think mfs just won the natty," Worthy said on his Instagram story.

The Longhorns and Sooners are likely to meet again in the Big 12 title game, where Worthy will have an opportunity to settle the score. 

OCT 10 BUDGET WINS CHAMPIONSHIPS? Since being hired as the Washington Huskies athletic director, Troy Dannen has already started making waves with his comments regarding his thoughts on the world that is college athletics. 

In a recent interview, Troy Dannen went as far as to take a perceived cheap shot at two other college football programs, the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Texas Longhorns. 

"If budgets won championships, Ohio State and Texas would win everything, and they haven't won much lately," Dannen said in an interview. 

The Huskies' new AD is obviously stating that despite the big budgets both the Buckeyes and Longhorns possess, it hasn't helped them find that much success athletically. 

OCT 9 HOUSTON KICK SET Following their devastating loss to the Oklahoma Sooners on Saturday, the Texas Longhorns will have a week off before their next conference matchup, when they head southeast to take on Houston Cougars at TDECU Stadium.

Now, we have a kickoff time set for that game, with the Longhorns and Cougars scheduled to face off at 3 p.m. CT. The game will be broadcast on FOX following the Big Noon Kickoff between Ohio State and Penn State.

The matchup between Houston and Texas will be the 26th all-time meeting between the two schools, with Texas leading the all-time series 16-7-2. They are also 7-3-1 in Houston.

Texas last played in Houston in 2001, where they beat the Cougars in a 53-26 blowout, led by Chris Simms and BJ Johnson. 

The Longhorns have won seven straight matchups vs. the Cougars, including the last three in Houston.

OCT 7 WATTS OUT The Texas Longhorns are officially going to be without their top corner on Saturday in the Red River Showdown.

According to reports, Watts will not suit up vs. Oklahoma, with freshman Malik Muhammad and transfer Gavin Holmes expected to rotate in his place. 

Watts left the Longhorns 40-14 blowout win over Kansas late in the second half with a lower-body injury.

Watts has 17 tackles and one tackle for loss with one pass breakup this season. 

OCT 6 HERBSTREIT 'CAN'T WAIT' ESPN's College Gameday will be live from the Texas State Fair and the Cotton Bowl on Saturday, previewing all the matchups for Week 6 of college football, including the Red River Rivalry game between the Texas Longhorns and Oklahoma Sooners. Despite never playing in the rivalry, Kirk Herbstreit has let it be known he is ready to experience the atmosphere ahead of the big game.

"This is always an incredible scene leading up to [Texas vs. Oklahoma]," Herbstreit said on Twitter. "Can’t wait!"

Gameday will be live starting at 8 a.m. (CT) with kickoff between the No. 3 ranked Longhorns and No. 12 Sooners set for 11 a.m.

OCT 5 WATTS UPDATE The Texas Longhorns could be without their top corner on Saturday in the Red River Showdown, with Steve Sarkisian announcing that Ryan Watts is set to be a game-time decision for the game. 

“I think Ryan is going to be a game-time decision,” Sarkisian said.

Watts left the Longhorns 40-14 blowout win over Kansas late in the second half with a lower-body injury. 

Watts has 17 tackles and one tackle for loss with one pass break up this season. 

OCT 4 MAYFIELD SPEAKS Former Oklahoma Sooners quarterback and Heisman winner Baker Mayfield is known for his Texas hate. 

And ahead of the Red River Showdown this season - a game in which Mayfield will be in attendance for - the Tampa Bay Buccaneers QB gave his thoughts on the matchup.

But instead of trashing the Longhorns as usual, Mayfield decided to send some praise the Sooners way.

"I'm just proud of how they're playing. Obviously, last year was rough, transition-wise, but I think they took all that personal," Mayfield said on former OU coach Bob Stoops' podcast. "Everybody was saying 'Oh, they're not the same Oklahoma.' But (coach Brent Venables) has got them rolling. I think the offense is capable of scoring points on anybody, as they've shown.

"I'm ecstatic from all the way in Florida, but just to get to see it up close and personal and be back home with all the fans is awesome."

Texas and Oklahoma kick off at 11 a.m. on ABC.

OCT 3 ESPN MAKES PREDICTION The Longhorns are just a few days away from arguably the biggest edition of the Red River Showdown since the Colt McCoy era. 

And now, ESPN's computer model has made its prediction.

According to ESPN Analytics, the Oklahoma Sooners, despite being 6.5-point underdogs in Las Vegas, have a 54.5-percent chance of beating the Longhorns in the Cotton Bowl on Saturday. 

Texas and Oklahoma will kick off on Saturday at 11 a.m. CT

OCT 2 SANDERS DAY TO DAY The Texas Longhorns have a huge matchup against the Oklahoma Sooners in Dallas this Saturday.

And after two of their best players, cornerback Ryan Watts and tight end Ja'Tavion Sanders was injured against Kansas in Week 5, head coach Steve Sarkisian gave an update on his status ahead of the rivalry matchup.

Sarkisian described both players as 'day-to-day', but noted that they will have more information on Thursday.

"It's going to take a minute for them to rehab and see if they'll be able to go," Sarkisian said Monday. "I'll probably have a better answer for you on Thursday."

Sanders, who injured his ankle in the first half on Saturday, did not return to action and was seen in a walking boot after the game. 

Watts is also dealing with a lower-body injury.

OCT 1 HORNS FAVORED Following their dominant win over the Kansas Jayhawks on Saturday, the Texas Longhorns now look forward to their biggest remaining matchup of the year vs. the Oklahoma Sooners in Dallas next weekend. 

And according to the oddsmakers, the Horns are on track for 6-0, with Texas opening as 5-point favorites over the Sooners, per Circa Sports

The over/under is currently set for 62.5 points. 

SEPT 30 DANIELS OUT Just minutes before kickoff at Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium, ESPN reported that Kansas Star quarterback Jalon Daniels will not play vs. the Texas Longhorns on Saturday.

Daniels is reportedly dealing with back tightness, but could still potentially get onto the field if the issue can be relieved.

The Lawndale, California, native was named the Big 12 Preseason Player of the Year and is a dual-threat quarterback.

He hasn't run for as many yards through three games as he did last season, averaging 22.5 fewer rushing yards per contest. Despite the down numbers, the Longhorns' defensive line will have to recreate the effective pocket containment that they had against Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Jalen Milroe.

Despite Daniels going down, however, Kansas isn't in trouble as Jason Bean played some solid football in his four starts last season. He went 87-of-136 for 1,280 yards and 14 touchdowns to four interceptions.

SEPT 26 OSU SAFETY ARRESTED Oklahoma State safety Trey Rucker was reportedly arrested on suspicion of a DUI this past weekend, following the team's 34-27 loss to Iowa State. 

Tulsa World reported Dean Ruhl was the first to report Rucker's arrest. 

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Rucker currently sits at fifth on the team with 18 total tackles for the Cowboys.

Barring a trip to the Big 12 title game, which seems unlikely at this point in time, Oklahoma State and Texas will not face off this season. 

SEPT 26 WHOSE THE REAL 'TIGER KING?' Despite the Florida State Seminoles and starting quarterback Jordan Travis being able to say they 'tamed" the LSU and Clemson Tigers this season, calling the senior quarterback the "Tiger King" will at least make at least one person unhappy. 

In a tweet on Sunday, Joe Exotic, also known as the "Tiger King," took issue with Seminole fans who are referring to Travis by the nickname that became famous in his Netflix series. 

"Jordan Travis was 6 years old when I became The Tiger King, it is my trademark, my intellectual property and I'm sick of others cashing in on my Trademark just because President Biden cares nothing about me being wrongfully in prison in America," Exotic said.

"I will give ANY ATTORNEY 80% of a settlement to sue Jordan Travis and ALL companies selling stuff using Tiger King. Time quarterbacks and anyone else in this country stops stealing from others, which attorney would like to take this multimillion dollar case? DM me!"

The Twitter rant came just after Travis released a shirt with a graphic of him sitting on a throne with a crown on his head and a tiger at his feet. So, while Travis can rejoice at the fact that he guided the Seminoles to victories over LSU and Clemson, he cannot take the title of the "Tiger King" away from Joe Exotic.

SEPT 25 TEXAS FAVORED VS KANSAS The Texas Longhorns are one of the hottest teams in the country through four weeks. 

And after a dominant win over Baylor in Waco on Saturday, the voters are beginning to agree, with the Horns sticking at No. 3 in the AP Top 25. 

Now, the odds makers have released the odds for a big Week 5 in college football, with the Horns coming in as a 17.5-point favorite over the No. 24 Kansas Jayhawks in Austin, per SI SportsBook.

Texas enters the matchup with a 17-4 advantage in the all-time series vs. the Jayhawks, and have won 17 of the 19 games between the two since entering the Big 12.

Saturday will mark the final Big 12 matchup between the two teams. 

SEPT 23 OLE MISS UPSET? Since losing to the Texas Longhorns in Week 2, the narrative surrounding the Alabama Crimson Tide is more clouded than it has been in recent memory under coach Nick Saban. 

While in years past, many would've predicted for the Crimson Tide to bounce back from the Texas loss and run the table the rest of the way, experts are seemingly picking against Alabama, including ESPN's Rece Davis.

"If this were Ole Miss giving seven, based on what I've seen from Alabama, especially last week, I would take Ole Miss and lay the seven," Davis said recently on the College Football GameDay. "So there's no question that I'm taking the Rebels and getting seven. Not only to cover, but to win outright."

A loss on Saturday for the Tide would obviously eliminate them from college football playoff contention and potentially could see them lose the SEC West.

SEPT 18 KANSAS KICK SET With the Texas Longhorns sitting at 3-0 to start the season, a kickoff time has been announced for their Week 5 game at home versus Big-12 rival, the Kansas Jayhawks.

According to a tweet from the Longhorns' official Twitter account, Texas will host the Jayhawks inside Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on Saturday, September 30th, for a 2:30 p.m. (CT) kickoff. 

SEPT 16 LONGHORNS D-LINEMAN CARTED OFF Texas Longhorns defensive lineman Kristopher Ross was carted off in the third quarter of Saturday's meeting with the Wyoming Cowboys at DKR. Texas was leading 10-7 at the time.

It's unclear what injury Ross suffered.

Ross, a member of the 2022 recruiting class, appeared in one game last season. Through two games this year, he's posted one tackle.

SEPT 16 HUTSON OUT Texas Longhorns offensive lineman Cole Hutson has left the team's matchup vs. the Wyoming Cowboys on Saturday with an apparent knee injury. 

Hutson was helped off of the field by the training staff and was struggling to put weight on his left leg. 

According to a release from the team, Hutson will not return to the game. 

SEPT 16 HORNS UP, DAWGS DOWN? The Texas Longhorns could rise in the AP Top-25 rankings with a dominant win over the Wyoming Cowboys as the current No. 1 ranked team, the Georgia Bulldogs, picked up an ugly home win over the South Carolina Gamecocks. 

The unranked and 27.5-point underdog Gamecocks got out to an early 14-3 lead over the back-to-back champions in the first half before the Bulldogs managed to score 21 unanswered in the second half to fend off South Carolina in the 24-14 win.

While a win is a win in this case for Georgia, it could hurt them in the next edition of the rankings. 

SEPT 15 BAMA QB CHANGE The Texas Longhorns took down the Alabama Crimson Tide last weekend, in one of the biggest wins in program history. 

And now, it seems as though the Longhorns win has forced the Tide to re-evaluate their approach, with Nick Saban seemingly leaning toward naming a new starting quarterback on Friday.

Notre Dame transfer Tyler Buchner looks to be favored to earn the nod for the Tide. 

"We evaluate every position every week. If guys want security in their position, they need to play well," Saban said Wednesday. "Everybody on our team knows that. I think everybody has responded in a positive way to try to get better and to improve. We'll constantly evaluate that position as we do every other position."

SEPT 14 KIFFIN SPEAKS ON BAMA Few coaches are more familiar with Nick Saban and the Alabama Crimson Tide than Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin. 

After his former boss was upset on his home field by the Texas Longhorns, Kiffin was asked about Alabama's prospects for the remainder of the season. 

Of course, Kiffin was nothing but positive about the Tide's situation.

"Sometimes an early loss can be good," Kiffin said. "Not Alabama week, but I'm getting Alabama questions already. But I think they're going to be in a better position because it wasn't an SEC game. An early loss sometimes over time has been really good and better than a late loss as we've seen in order to get in the Playoffs and things."

The Rebels and the Tide will face off in Week 4 in Tuscaloosa, where Kiffin will hope to be the second former Saban pupil to take down his former boss this season.

SEPT 12 BAMA 'PISSED OFF' AFTER TEXAS LOSS The Alabama Crimson Tide are not accustomed to losing on their home field. Especially in non-conference matchups.

And as a result of their 34-24 loss to the Texas Longhorns in Tuscaloosa on Saturday night, the Tide players are taking it personally.

“The mindset of the team, we’re pissed off, not gonna lie,” Bama offensive lineman Tyler Booker during his press conference on Monday. "Who wants to lose at home? There’s only ever been 2 undefeated teams to win the national championship here at the University of Alabama. All of our goals are still attainable. We can still win the SEC West, we can still win the SEC and get a College Football Playoff spot. This was just a wake-up call for us and we’re all taking heed to what the coach is saying.”

Alabama will attempt to get back into the win column this weekend when they travel to Tampa Bay to take on the South Florida Bulls on the road. 

SEPT 11 BAYLOR KICK SET Following their huge upset over the Alabama Crimson Tide, the No. 4 Texas Longhorns kick-off time for Week 4 has been announced.

Per a release from the team, the Horns and Bears will kick off at 6:30 pm in Waco, with the game set to be broadcast on ABC.

SEPT 9 TEBOW'S ADVICE Former Florida Gators star quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow knows what it takes to succeed on a big stage. 

And ahead of Alabama's matchup with the Texas Longhorns on Saturday night, Tebow had some advice for Crimson Tide QB Jalen Milroe - Let it rip.

“Every now and then you can go from being quarterback to, ‘OK Jalen, let it rip. Show everybody you’re a legit 4.4, you’re 220 pounds and you can run over most linebackers," Tebow said on the Paul Finebaum show. "And I think that’s something where if you’re Nick Saban, you’re Tommy Rees tomorrow night, it’s like, ‘Hey we love how much you’ve improved in the pocket. But there’s going to be a couple of plays, hey, go out there and be the best athlete on the field."

The Longhorns and Tide will kick off at 6 pm central time on ESPN.

SEPT 7 MACK BROWN RIPS NCAA Former Texas Longhorns head coach Mack Brown went scorched earth on the NCAA on Thursday, ripping the organization for its treatment of one his players, Devontez Walker.

Walker, who was projected to be one of the Tarheels' best wide receivers, was ruled ineligible by the NCAA for the 2023 season.

"I don't know if I've ever been more disappointed in a person, a group of people or an institution than I am with the NCAA right now. It's clear the NCAA is about process and couldn't care less about the young people it's supposed to be supporting..."

Brown closed his statement by emphatically shaming the NCAA for their decision. 

"Shame on you, NCAA," Brown said. "SHAME ON YOU!"

As a result, Mack Brown released an impassioned statement condemning the NCAA and their decision. 

You can view his full statement below:

SEPT 2 TEXAS RELEASES DEPTH CHART VS RICE The Texas Longhorns have revealed the first official depth chart of the season ahead of Saturday's opener against the Rice Owls at DKR.

Take a look:

Competitions like the backup quarterback battle remain unsolved per the depth chart, while other positions have co-starters listed.

SEPTEMBER 1 ACC CONTINUES CFB EXPANSION The world of college football is continuing to change dramatically, with the latest expansion taking place on Friday morning. 

According to reports, Stanford, California and SMU are set to join the ACC in 2024. 

The three schools are just the latest to make a realignment move for 2024, with USC, UCLA, Oregon and Washington joining the Big 10, Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado, and Utah joining the Big 12, and Oklahoma and Texas joining the SEC.

Washington State and Oregon State are now the sole remaining Pac 12 members searching for a new home.

AUGUST 24 USC'S CALEB WILLIAMS TURNING DOWN EA SPORTS? Thanks to the introduction of Name, Image, and Likeness, when the long-awaited release of Electronic Arts' newest college football video game drops, it could feature rosters with real player names and likenesses for the first time in the franchise's history.

Although it may not have everyone, USC quarterback Caleb Williams recently revealed in an interview with Yahoo's Ross Dellenger that he is unsure if he'll appear in the video game due to the reported $500 flat fee that EA is offering to players to use their likeness.

“Thing about life is, you have to adjust to anything,” Williams said. “Businesses and brands and things like that have to adjust to the new brand of college. I’d love to have the game back, but it’s the new day and age and everybody knows what the new day and age in college is.

“It’s like if you go to school and you are a straight-A student and there’s another kid whose strong suit isn’t school and he gets B’s or B-minuses. How fair would it be if you get the same grade as him? That never works in school and it doesn’t make sense. That’s how I look at that game with the situation with the $500.”

Williams won't be the only player who believes that the $500 fee does not meet their true value, which could serve as a domino effect for other top players to fall in line with the reigning Heisman Trophy winner if he does indeed choose to opt out of featuring in the game.

Published
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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