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The Texas Longhorns have made their way into the college football playoffs in each of the last two seasons.
The Longhorns are expected to run again in the playoffs this season, but head coach Steve Sarkisian is doing what he can to ease some of those lofty expectations. Sarkisian also threw cold water at the notion that a team crowned as a national champion would finish the season with a perfect 16-0 record.
“I don't think we'll meet an undefeated champion,” he said at the SEC Spring Meeting.
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Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian will speak during the era of SEC football media at the Omni-Dallas Hotel held in Dallas, Texas on July 17, 2024. (Tim Warner/Getty Images)
Sarkisian noted that maintaining a completely healthy roster is difficult throughout the extended college football season. “It's very difficult to stay healthy for a long time. With this idea, will someone go 16-0 in college football? If so, raise the statue.”
Last season, the 12-team playoff format debuted. After the team played full 12 regular season slates, they were able to qualify for the conference championship. In last year's format, the Power 4 conference champion won goodbye. A 13-0 team must finish 16-0 in the quarterfinals, semifinals and championship games.
2025 CFP Championship Odds: OSU, Texas, remains favored after the format change
Sarkisian then recalled the huge difference between his current sports landscape and his time with the Southern California coaching staff in 2003.
“Then we grew into two team playoffs, four team playoffs, and now we've grown into where we are today,” he continued. “At the end of the day, we all hope that the best teams have the opportunity to compete for the championship. Last year we played 16 games and it was just to reach the semi-finals.
Texas Longhorns manager Steve Salkisian will face the Georgia Bulldogs at Darrell K Royal Texas Memorial Stadium on October 19, 2024 in Austin, Texas. (Alex Slitz/Getty Images)
Sarkisian also worked on the predictions and quarterback arch Manning faces for the 2025 season. Manning saw action last season, but Quinn Ewors' jump to the NFL opened the door for him to become a full-time starter.
“The Arch is a great player, but I hope everyone here doesn't get us ahead of us,” Sarkisian said. “Let's have this guy perform this year. Let's enjoy his chance at him as the starting quarterback for the Texas Longhorns. It was a lifelong dream for this guy to do this.”
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The Longhorns were defeated 37-31 to Washington in the 2023-24 playoff semifinals. After beating Clemson in the first round, Texas survived a double-overtime thriller against Arizona in the quarter-finals. However, the Longhorns were unable to overcome the final champion Ohio State in the semi-finals.
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