Steve Sarkisian hopeful that Texas making CFP validates non-conference game vs. Alabama

Many outsiders criticized Texas‘ decision to square off against Alabama in Week 2. After all, a loss could cost either team their spot in the College Football Playoff. In the end, it did just the opposite.

The CFP selection committee honored the two teams’ fearless spirit, awarding them both with a spot in the CFP. Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian believes this decision is a step in the right direction for the culture surrounding non-conference scheduling.

“I’m hopeful of that because I think for college football, that’s needed,” Sarkisian said on Sunday. “When you look at the first three or four weeks of the college football season, if we don’t play those types of games and we’re just waiting for conference play to begin, where’s the excitement? What are we talking about? To get that spotlight that we had in Week 2 and that stage, I think was great for both of our programs.”

Both programs lived up to the spotlight. After falling to Texas, Alabama rattled off 11-straight wins, capped off by ending Georgia’s 29-game win streak in the SEC Championship.

While Texas didn’t lose in Week 2, it didn’t escape the 2023 campaign without a loss. In Week 6, the Longhorns fell to Oklahoma in the Red River Showdown. Nonetheless, like Alabama, Texas bounced back stronger than ever.

The Longhorns finished their regular season on a 7-game win streak and made a statement in their 49-21 blowout victory over Oklahoma State in the Big 12 Championship. Sarkisian believes none of the Longhorns’ later success in the season would have been possible without their win over Alabama in Week 2.

It all goes back to one game for Texas

“That win gave us as much or more confidence than anything throughout the season to help us navigate our way through some of those other tougher games late in the year because it gave us some more belief in what we were doing,” Sarkisian said.

“There’s a lot of value to play in those types of games early in the year and obviously, for the committee to recognize that I think is big because now, hopefully, that’ll continue to promote more games like that.”

The committee will have to massive games to promote over the coming weeks. On Jan. 1, Alabama and Michigan will go head-to-head in the Rose Bowl at 5 p.m. ET. Texas and Washington will follow with a matchup in the Cotton Bowl at 8 p.m. ET. Both games will be broadcast on ESPN.