2023 Texas can separate from these six seasons where it fell short of the title game
There’s been plenty of (much deserved) attention placed on No. 3 Texas as it makes its first appearance in the College Football Playoff and prepares to square off against No. 2 Washington in the Allstate Sugar Bowl on New Year’s Night in New Orleans.
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A win in that dustup with the talented Huskies would grant Texas a berth in the national championship game on Jan. 8 in Houston. The Longhorns have not won the whole enchilada since 2005 (in the 2006 Rose Bowl) and haven’t played in the national championship game since the 2009 season, when they lost to Alabama – also in the Rose Bowl.
We decided to take a look back at a six-pack of Longhorns teams since 2000 that were uber-successful but never had a chance to play for the national title. All of these teams had at least 10 wins, two of them had 11 and two more had 12 victories.
We start off with the best of the bunch.
2008
Record: 12-1, 7-1 in Big 12 (T-1st in South)
Highest ranking during season: No. 1 (weeks 7, 8 and 9)
Key wins: No. 1 Oklahoma (45-35 in Dallas); No. 11 Missouri (56-31); No. 7 Oklahoma State (28-24); Texas A&M (49-9)
Only loss: at No. 6 Texas Tech (39-33)
Bowl: Beat No. 10 Ohio State 24-21 in Fiesta Bowl in Glendale, Ariz.
Final ranking: No. 4 AP; No. 3 Coaches Poll
2004
Record: 12-1, 7-1 in Big 12 (2nd in South)
Highest ranking during season: No. 5 (weeks 3, 4 and 5)
Key wins: at Arkansas (22-20); at Texas Tech (51-21); at Colorado (31-7); No. 19 Oklahoma State (56-35); No. 22 Texas A&M (26-13)
Only loss: Oklahoma (12-0 in Dallas)
Beat No. 13 Michigan 38-37 in the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif.
Final ranking: No. 5 AP, No. 4 Coaches Poll
2001
Record: 11-2, 7-1 in Big 12 (1st in South)
Highest ranking during season: No. 3 (week 12)
Key wins: North Carolina (44-14); Texas Tech (42-7); No. 14 Colorado (41-7); at Missouri (35-16); at Texas A&M (21-7)
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Losses: No. 3 Oklahoma (14-3 in Dallas); No. 9 Colorado (39-37 in Big 12 Championship in Irving)
Bowl: Beat No. 21 Washington (47-43) in Holiday Bowl in San Diego
Final ranking: No. 5 AP; No. 5 Coaches Poll
2002
Record: 11-2, 6-2 in Big 12 (1st in South)
Highest ranking during season: No. 2 (week 5)
Key wins: at North Carolina (52-21); Oklahoma State (17-15); at No. 17 Kansas State (17-14), No. 17 Iowa State (21-10); at Nebraska (27-24); Texas A&M (50-20)
Losses: No. 2 Oklahoma (35-24 in Dallas); at Texas Tech (42-38)
Bowl: Beat LSU 35-10 in Cotton Bowl in Dallas
Final ranking: No. 6 AP; No. 7 Coaches Poll
2003
Record: 10-3, 7-1 in Big 12 (2nd in South)
Highest ranking during season: No. 5 (week one and week 12)
Key wins: No. 14 Kansas State (24-20); No. 12 Nebraska (31-7); No. 21 Oklahoma State (55-16); Texas Tech (43-40); at Texas A&M (46-15)
Losses: Arkansas (38-28); No. 1 Oklahoma (65-13 in Dallas)
Bowl: Lost to No. 15 Washington State 28-20 in Holiday Bowl in San Diego
Final ranking: No. 12 AP; No. 11 Coaches Poll
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2018
Record: 10-4, 7-2 in Big 12 (2nd)
Highest ranking during season: No. 9 (after Sugar Bowl)
Key wins: No. 22 USC (37-14); No. 17 TCU (31-16); No. 7 Oklahoma (48-45 in Dallas); No. 16 Iowa State 24-10
Losses: Maryland (34-29 in Landover, Md.); at Oklahoma State (38-35); No. 13 West Virginia (42-41); No. 5 Oklahoma (39-27 in Big 12 Championship game in Arlington)
Bowl: Beat No. 5 Georgia 28-21 in Sugar Bowl in New Orleans
Final ranking: No. 9 AP; No. 9 Coaches Poll
