Following Texas’s upset win over Texas A&M on Friday, Paul Finebaum is ready to make the case for their inclusion in the College Football Playoff.
Despite a tough start to the season and three total losses, Texas finds itself back in the CFP hunt after its 27-17 win over No. 3 Texas A&M. The Longhorns lost the season-opener to Ohio State and also dropped games to Georgia and Florida. However, they have wins over the Aggies, Oklahoma, and Vanderbilt, and boast one of the most demanding out-of-conference schedules in the nation.
After Friday’s win, Texas coach Steve Sarkisian made his pitch for why the Longhorns deserved a shot, focusing on the strength of schedule.
SEC Nation’s Finebaum certainly thinks they deserve it, and even threw in a few digs at some Big Ten teams while he was at it.
“Texas belongs in the College Football Playoff.”@Finebaum says @TexasFootball is in after the huge win over No. 3 Texas A&M 👀 pic.twitter.com/iXbQ6IPrsm
— SEC Network (@SECNetwork) November 29, 2025
“I think that Sarkisian makes a (relevant) point, and it’s really about the first game,” said Finebaum. “Texas decided to go to Ohio State and play a meaningful game in one of the biggest games of the year in college football. Had they played Kennesaw State, which Indiana played, or Oklahoma State, one of the worst teams in the country, which Oregon played, or some of these other competitors… They wouldn’t be in this situation. They had the bad loss to Florida, but they have the significant wins, which overcome that.
“So I think they’re gonna be penalized for doing the right thing, and that’s wrong. And in my mind, Texas belongs in the College Football Playoff, even with that record.”
There’s no doubt this will be one of the defining arguments of the following week as the pieces fall into place for the CFP. Should Texas get a pass because they played a tough schedule, or should wins matter? Get ready to hear a lot of arguments on both sides.
About Sean Keeley
Along with writing for Awful Announcing and The Comeback, Sean is the Managing Editor for Comeback Media. Previously, he created the Syracuse blog Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician and wrote 'How To Grow An Orange: The Right Way to Brainwash Your Child Into Rooting for Syracuse.' He has also written non-Syracuse-related things for SB Nation, Curbed, and other outlets. He currently lives in Seattle where he is complaining about bagels. Send tips/comments/complaints to sean@thecomeback.com.