The Ohio State Buckeyes are the gatekeepers of the Texas Longhorns' faint chances of making the College Football Playoff when OSU travels to Ann Arbor for "The Game" this Saturday. Lose to TTUN, and Texas is out.
USA Today's Jordan Mendoza believes there's a lot of ground to be made up for the Longhorns to be relevant again. Mendoza also believes the Wolverines could make the CFP's 12-team field with a win, and, presumably, enough other things breaking their way.
"Certainly interesting to move Michigan up so much, considering it doesn't have a ranked win. It feels like beating Ohio State gets the Wolverines in," Mendoza wrote. "Even moving up a spot, Texas got jumped past Michigan, which should enrage the Longhorns. They've got a chance against Texas A&M to make their case, but that's a lot of ground to make up."
Texas has Ohio State to thank for even having a shot at the playoff despite having three losses, with one of them coming to a 3-8 Florida Gators. If not for a 14-7 loss at the "Shoe" in Week 1, and the Buckeyes destroying everyone else, there'd be no case at all for the Longhorns.
Now, though, Texas is an upset of the TAMU Aggies and an expected win for the Buckeyes away from potentially enraging the BYU Cougars and Miami Hurricanes fanbase, not to mention several Group of 5 conferences, and sneaking into the CFP field.
Will it be justice in College Football? Absolutely not. But better the Longhorns than TTUN.
Texas making the CFP would help Ohio State next season
Ohio State is traveling to Austin to take on Texas at DKR Stadium next September, so the two teams' records and performance will be tied for another year. Undoubtedly, the Longhorns would have a different stigma around them if they made the CFP and notched a win or two.
It'd benefit the Buckeyes for Texas to be in the field. Hopefully, the planets align.
The Longhorns host the Aggies Friday night before "The Game" takes place at noon at "The Big House" the next day.