The Texas Longhorns are navigating a challenging stretch after a narrow 22-19 overtime loss to the Georgia Bulldogs in the SEC Championship Game. It marked their second defeat to Georgia this season, following a 30-15 loss in Austin earlier in the year. The back-to-back setbacks not only left the Longhorns with a bitter taste but also dropped them from No. 2 to No. 3 in the College Football Playoff rankings. They now hold the No. 5 seed and will host No. 12 Clemson in the playoff’s first round on December 21.
Clemson secured their playoff spot by defeating SMU in the ACC Championship Game, becoming the first three-loss team to make the playoff. Despite Texas being the 11-point favorite, the Longhorns are entering the game with a few disadvantages. Shortly after their SEC title game loss, the team experienced further attrition as former four-star recruits Tausili Akana and Derion Gullette announced their intentions to transfer, according to sources.
Akana saw minimal action this season, playing in only one game against UTSA and recording a single tackle. Gullette, recovering from a knee injury, appeared in five games this year, including contests against Oklahoma and Georgia, and registered two career tackles. Their departures come at an inopportune time as the Longhorns aim to regroup for their playoff run.
Head coach Steve Sarkisian acknowledged the need for recovery and preparation as the team eyes its playoff matchup against Clemson. “Now, it’s our job to kind of regroup and get ourselves as healthy as we can to compete in a playoff,” Sarkisian stated. “We essentially have a bye to get ready for that game, and so we will do the best we can. I know our players will, from a rehab and recovery standpoint. We’ll find out who we’re playing and put together a plan to go to work.”
The Longhorns will face a resilient Clemson team led by head coach Dabo Swinney. With the game scheduled for 4:00 p.m. ET on TNT and Max, Texas has an opportunity to reset and prove their mettle. For the Longhorns, this playoff game is a chance to rebound, refocus, and keep their championship aspirations alive despite recent challenges.
