Texas soccer’s résumé is imperfect via eight video games. But it surely’s nonetheless adequate to qualify for the Faculty Soccer Playoff, in accordance with the primary rankings reveal of the season Tuesday night time.
The Longhorns (6–2, 3–2 SEC) are ranked No. 7 within the preliminary CFP rankings launched on ESPN. That is three spots above Texas’ No. 10 spot within the Related Press Ballot. The Longhorns’ No. 7 rating would make them the third at-large workforce on this 12 months’s Faculty Soccer Playoff, a rating that for now would have them host No. 10 Ole Miss in Austin for a first-round matchup Dec. 18 or Dec. 19. Texas defeated Ole Miss 34-27 final month at Royal-Memorial Stadium.
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Texas hopes to achieve the CFP for the third time underneath head coach Steve Sarkisian. The Longhorns recorded their first look in 2023, the ultimate 12 months of the four-team playoff. Texas then reached the CFP semifinals in 2024 when it misplaced to Ohio State at AT&T Stadium in Arlington. Texas didn’t qualify for the CFP final 12 months earlier than defeating Michigan within the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl in Orlando.
Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian leads his workforce to the sector for the second half of the Faculty Soccer Playoff semifinal sport towards Ohio State within the Cotton Bowl at AT&T Stadium on Friday, Jan. 10, 2024 in Arlington, Texas. (Aaron E. Martinez/American-Statesman)
With two losses, Texas isn’t any lock for the playoff. The street does not get simpler within the fast future. Every of Texas’ subsequent two video games are on the street at ranked SEC opponents, with Saturday’s sport at No. 18 Missouri previous a Nov. 14 sport at No. 14 LSU.
Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian celebrates with linebacker Justin Cryer (28) after beating Mississippi at Darrell Okay Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin on Saturday Oct. 24, 2026. (Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman)
Win every of the subsequent two video games, then safe anticipated wins over Arkansas and Texas A&M, and Texas is CFP-bound. Lose to both Missouri or LSU, nevertheless, and a murky playoff argument begins. No three-loss workforce has ever certified for the Playoff with out reaching its convention championship sport. Sarkisian believes Texas could possibly be the workforce to make historical past given its power of schedule, with a nine-game SEC slate paired with Texas’ September win towards then-No. 1 Ohio State.
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“Right here we’re final week on the midway mark of convention play and each workforce already had a loss. And there is actually good groups with a number of losses already,” Sarkisian stated late final month. “So what’s it actually going to appear to be when there’s 9-3 SEC groups in comparison with 10-2 and even 11-1 groups from different conferences? How a lot worth goes to be positioned in that?”
Texas’ head coach may spend December lobbying for a CFP spot if his workforce loses considered one of its subsequent 4 video games. Win out, and the street to a playoff spot is obvious, with a first-round sport at DKR probably on the calendar.
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This text initially revealed at Texas Longhorns ranked No. 7 in first Faculty Soccer Playoff rankings reveal.