Texas’ Late Collapse Ends Their CFP Hopes

“Clearly, A&M showed what type of team they were,” Taaffe said, by rallying to overcome a 27-point halftime deficit against South Carolina.

The Longhorns also reminded us who they are. They're a team that doesn't play well outside of the gate, a team that hasn't lived up to its paycheck or hype.

And now it's gotten to the point where even if Texas beats Arkansas and the Aggies in the next two weeks, it won't secure a playoff spot.

Texas was trailing by one point against No. 5 Georgia in the fourth quarter. By the end of the quarter, the final score of 35-10 looked like a rout.

“The fourth quarter was, for lack of better terms, a disaster,” Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said. “We got beat 21-0 in the fourth quarter.”

You can say that again.

“It was a disaster,” Texas defensive lineman Colin Simmons said. “We didn’t finish.”

Georgia converted two fourth downs into touchdowns early in the fourth quarter. Then, it recovered an onside kick and scored again. Now trailing by three scores, Texas went three-and-out. Georgia scored again.

By the end of Georgia's three-score flurry, the Bulldogs had run off 16 fourth-quarter plays for 123 yards. Texas had the ball at that point in the quarter, and three plays resulted in a negative-4 yard difference.

This is how a close game turns into a close contest.

When the fourth quarter fortunately ended, Georgia fans were dancing in the stands and their band played a rousing victory song. The Longhorns sang "The Eyes of Texas," and it sounded like a very sad song.

The entire nation's eyes were on Texas this season. The Longhorns failed to live up to the hype and expectations, and by Sunday morning, after Texas's tenth game, the Longhorns had suffered three losses.

And now it has come to this.

“They kicked our butts in all three phases,” Taaffe said. “We messed up a lot of stuff.”

Georgia coach Kirby Smart compared his team's offense to "a big anaconda," constantly pressing until its prey succumbs.

Gunner Stockton is the leader of this snake. The Georgia quarterback completed 24 of 29 passes and threw four touchdowns. He's not the first quarterback to tear apart this Texas defense.

“I give credit to him, for sure, but we made it pretty easy (on him),” Taaffe said.

And now it's gotten to the point where, by mid-November, the team that was touted as a national championship frontrunner in August is out of the SEC championship race, and now Sarkisian is praising Georgia, saying it's still "the standard of college football," and there's an undefeated Texas team in College Station, and there's another team in Lubbock that will likely give the Longhorns a run for their money.

“I’m frustrated and disappointed we didn’t play better,” Texas quarterback Arch Manning said. “We just didn’t play well.”

And now it's gotten to the point where Manning could have used the same words to describe Texas' losses to Ohio State and Florida, or its away wins against Kentucky and Mississippi State.

Luckily for Texas, its final two games will be at home, and defeating the No. 3 Aggies on Black Friday would make a good final impression before entering Selection Sunday.

And even then, the Longhorns will be at the mercy of the committee and will have to hope for an upset elsewhere, as in a crowded playoff field, a 9-3 record might not be enough.

Texas has two teams in good position for the playoffs. The Longhorns aren't one of them. It's come to this.

“Disappointing,” Sarkisian said.

That says it all.