Greg McElroy labels Texas a ‘near lock’ for College Football Playoff

The first edition of the College Football Playoff rankings for the 2024 season will debut next week, giving us a much clearer indication of which teams are positioned well to make the postseason.

Texas is one of the teams that might not have much stress when watching the first release of the rankings.

“They are a healthy, healthy favorite against Florida and against Kentucky. Those games are both at home,” ESPN analyst Greg McElroy explained on the Always College Football podcast. “They’re also a double-digit favorite on the road at Arkansas. And then if you want to look ahead all the way at the end of the season, they’re a comfortable favorite of about five, six or seven depending on where that thing kind of levels out on the road at Texas A&M.

“So barring a considerable upset against Arkansas, Florida or Kentucky, Texas is likely going to be in the playoff. Probably looking at a 10-2 record at the worst.”

Texas is currently 7-1 overall, with its lone loss coming to Georgia a couple weeks ago at home. That loss obviously wasn’t a bad loss, as the Bulldogs are also a College Football Playoff hopeful.

With four games left and only one against a ranked opponent, Texas has its path clearly outlined for how to make the postseason.

“Like I said, barring something unforeseen, at 10-2 given that their losses under that circumstance would come at A&M and against Georgia, I think Texas would still comfortably be in the field there as a 10-2 football team,” McElroy said. “So they’re a near-lock, they’re not there yet. I think a win against Arkansas would probably punch their ticket.”

That game against Arkansas will come in two weeks. That’s projected to be the stiffest test for Texas down the stretch outside of the season finale against Texas A&M.

If Texas wants to make the College Football Playoff, it’ll need to be able to navigate that tricky road trip to Arkansas in a game the Razorbacks fans will be fired up for.

First, though, is a date with Florida on the other side of a bye week. Florida and Texas will kick off at 12 p.m. ET on ABC on Saturday, Nov. 9.