Texas vs Georgia: Who REALLY Runs the SEC in 2026?

Summary

On Texas Football: "Texas vs Georgia: Who REALLY Runs the SEC in 2026?"

Date: July 19, 2026
Host: Jeff Howe
Panelists: C.J. Vogel, Hank South, Jordan Scruggs, Rod Babers, Jerry Hamilton

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Episode Overview

In this lively roundtable, the On Texas Football crew conducts an in-depth, preseason debate about the looming battle for supremacy in the SEC, focusing on whether Texas or Georgia "really runs" the league heading into 2026. The conversation pivots around predictions for the SEC title, which teams will make the expanded College Football Playoff (CFP), and how schedules, rosters, and recent changes in coaching affect these outcomes. The crew also dives deep into roster strengths, schedule obstacles, and the critical importance of non-conference games for playoff hopes.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Georgia vs. Texas – Who Runs the SEC?

• Georgia as the Team to Beat

  • The overwhelming majority of the panel picks Georgia to win the SEC again in 2026.
  • CJ Vogel highlights that while Texas has more talent, Georgia’s "coaching, discipline, and physicality" have made the difference since Texas entered the league:

    “Do I believe that they’re the most talented team? No, I think Texas has more talent, but I think this is... a discipline, a physicality edge.” <br>(CJ Vogel, 02:01)

  • Rod Babers cites Ric Flair:

    “To be the man, you got to beat the man. And Georgia is the man right now.”
    (Rod Babers, 03:02)

• Texas – The Lone Optimist

  • Hank South is the only panelist to pick Texas to win the SEC, hinging his optimism on defensive improvements—namely, the addition of Will Muschamp as DC—and the Longhorns’ best roster since 2005:

    “I just think... this is the best Texas team since 2005 and then not pick them to win the SEC... I think Texas can right the ship there with their, you know, perceived Georgia problem this season.”
    (Hank South, 04:00)

  • Acknowledges the road: “I know the schedule is brutal. They don’t have to play Georgia in Athens, but maybe in Atlanta."
    (05:00)

• Schedules as the Deciding Factor

  • Jerry Hamilton underscores that if the teams switched schedules, he’d pick Texas. Georgia’s is simply far more manageable:

    “Georgia’s schedule is much more, not easy, but much more manageable to navigate than Texas. That’s the major reason I went with Georgia.”
    (Jerry Hamilton, 05:34)

  • Adds that if Texas makes it to Atlanta, they’ll have answered all questions about discipline and physicality:

    “If Texas gets there... they may be playing like the best team in America.”
    (Jerry Hamilton, 06:24)

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2. Playoff Predictions – How Many SEC Teams and Who?

• How Many SEC Teams in Expanded Playoff?

  • Most panelists expect 4–5 SEC teams to make the field, depending on non-conference results and schedules.
  • The consensus locks: Texas and Georgia. After that, the field opens to Oklahoma, LSU, Ole Miss, Alabama, and Florida as potential playoff entrants.

• Breakdown by Analyst

  • Jordan Scruggs:

    • Four SEC teams: Texas, Georgia, Oklahoma, and either Florida or Ole Miss as the wild card.
    • On Florida: "I think Florida actually has a real potential to shock a lot of people." (09:45)

  • CJ Vogel:

    • Four: Texas, Georgia, Oklahoma, and LSU.
    • On Oklahoma: “If they can reach [21] points, they’re going to win a lot of games this year.” (11:08)
    • Alabama = wild card with too many question marks.

  • Rod Babers:

    • Five, as in last year: Texas, Georgia, LSU, Oklahoma, and Alabama.
    • "Kaylen DeBoer ... too damn good of a coach not to figure it out at Alabama." (12:33)

  • Jerry Hamilton:

    • Four: Georgia, Texas, Ole Miss (believes in Trinidad Chambliss’ clutch gene), Oklahoma.
    • On schedule: “This may be the biggest year... for SEC teams in terms of needing to win that non-conference game.” (13:53)

  • Hank South:

    • Four: Texas (as SEC champ), Georgia, LSU, Alabama.
    • Oklahoma likely to be too beat up by the time of Red River Rivalry and miss the cut.

  • Jeff Howe:

    • Four: Georgia, Texas, Ole Miss, LSU.

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3. Non-Conference Games: The "Must Win" Factor

• Jerry Hamilton and others stress that the nine-game SEC schedule makes early big non-conference matchups (Texas-Ohio State, LSU-Clemson, Oklahoma-Michigan, Ole Miss-Louisville) critical, with the loser facing an uphill climb:

  “Whoever loses... ends up not making the playoff. I think these are must win games for these four teams in the SEC because of the nine-game schedule and trying to navigate through it.”
  (Jerry Hamilton, 14:28)

• Injuries are expected to play an intensified role with only one bye week.

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4. Deep Dives on Team Roster Strengths & Weaknesses

• Texas A&M:

  • Strong defense, NFL talent from NIL, but red flags at quarterback and play-caller (Holman Wiggins’ first year):

    “When it comes down to it, the quarterback plays a large role and so does the play caller. For me, he has to take a major step forward for A&M to be one of these teams.”
    (CJ Vogel, 21:29)

  • Secondary is a concern after losses—dependence on less proven transfers and underclassmen.
    (Jerry Hamilton, 23:38)

• Florida:

  • Overlooked, but loaded with untapped talent and upgrades in coaching and OL:

    “I think Florida’s being slept on.... They still beat Texas’s ass in what was a rather non competitive game...”
    (Jordan Scruggs, 25:55)

  • Defensive line and receiver depth called out as strengths.

• Alabama and Ole Miss:

  • Alabama remains a wild card, with high hopes attached to a new star running back and returning receiver talent.
  • Ole Miss pegged as dangerous mostly due to “clutch” QB Trinidad Chambliss and a roster with enough depth to cover up early mistakes.

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5. Oklahoma & the Red River Dynamics

• Oklahoma heads into the season with a formula of ball control, defense, and special teams—“like Bill Snyder in the SEC.”
• The pressure is on Brent Venables to finally tilt the Texas-OU rivalry back, especially after some blowout losses.

  “This could be maybe the biggest Texas-OU matchup that he has been a part of, just because a lot of pressure ... to finally show up and beat Sark.” (Rod Babers, 29:02)

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6. Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “To be the man, you got to beat the man. And Georgia is the man right now.”
  (Rod Babers, 03:02)

• “Georgia’s schedule is much more manageable to navigate than Texas’s. That’s the major reason I went with Georgia here.”
  (Jerry Hamilton, 05:34)

• “Whoever loses [their marquee non-conference game] ends up not making the playoff.”
  (Jerry Hamilton, 14:28)

• “I don’t think Texas is going to be perfect. I think they’re going to trip up. But... it’s going to be a grind.”
  (Hank South, 30:27)

• “Congrats to Texas on not being the most hated team this year—will anybody cheer for Notre Dame outside of Notre Dame fans this year?”
  (Jerry Hamilton, 31:30)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• 02:01 – CJ Vogel: Why Georgia > Texas, edge in discipline and physicality.
• 03:02 – Rod Babers: Ric Flair quote, “to be the man, you gotta beat the man.”
• 04:00 – Hank South: Why Texas finally wins SEC, Muschamp influence.
• 05:34 – Jerry Hamilton: Georgia’s schedule easier, difference-maker.
• 11:08 – CJ Vogel: How Oklahoma can make playoff despite offense.
• 13:53 – Jerry Hamilton: 2026 is “must-win” year for non-conference games.
• 14:28 – Jerry Hamilton: Playoff pathways hinge on early games, depth of SEC schedule.
• 21:29 – CJ Vogel: Why Texas A&M doesn’t make the cut, QB and play-caller issues.
• 25:55 – Jordan Scruggs: Why Florida could surprise.
• 29:02 – Rod Babers: The OU-Texas rivalry, desperation dynamics.
• 30:27 – Hank South: Victory lap for lone Texas pick, season outlook.

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Final Takeaways

• Georgia remains the gold standard in the SEC, mainly because of consistency, physicality, and schedule edge.
• Texas is poised for a breakthrough if their defensive investments pay off and they survive a gauntlet schedule.
• The expanded playoff provides a path for 4-5 SEC teams, but only if they avoid early non-conference losses and manage injuries in the nine-game grind.
• Roster assessments favor blue bloods, but coaching changes and depth chart questions loom large for contenders like Alabama and Texas A&M.
• Florida and Ole Miss are dangerous wild cards poised to disrupt the established order if schedules break right.
• The Red River Rivalry will be pivotal, with Oklahoma trying to re-establish momentum against Texas.
• For Texas, the opener vs. Ohio State is a de facto playoff eliminator—massive stakes from jump.

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This roundtable delivers a nuanced, data-packed preview of the SEC’s power structure heading into 2026, with sharp analysis for both die-hards and fans looking to gear up for the upcoming college football season.

Transcript

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[F]

Who's winning the SEC and which SEC teams are making the College Football Playoff? We'll discuss that here on this latest edition of On Texas Football, brought to you by Prize Picks. I'm Jeff Howe. Joined for our weekly sideline debate by our panel this week is C.J. vogel, Hank South, Jordan Scruggs, Rod Babers and Jerry Hamilton. Guys, we're picking the SEC champion. We're picking the SEC teams to go to the College Football playoff. Is it 3? Is it 4? Is it 5? We'll get to that as we roll along. Guys, all of us except one person. I'll leave the one party out, but the rest of us almost unanimously picked Georgia to win the conference. C.J. i'll let you start because I think you and I have the exact same reason for why we're picking Georgia over Texas or the field to win the sec.

[G]

Yeah, look, over the last couple of years, Georgia's not been Georgia of their prime, Right. They're not competing for national championships. They haven't won a playoff game. And I believe three years now. Yeah, they have back to back SEC title banners hanging inside of their stadium. Right? They win this conference until they don't. And I think many Texas fans would agree they have Texas's number until Texas and Steve Sarkeesian prove that they do not. So for me, I do have Georgia winning the SEC in 2026. Do I believe that they're the most talented team? No, I think Texas has more talent, but I think this is A coaching. I think this is a discipline. I think this is just an overall physicality edge that from what I've seen since Texas joined this conference, I can't give them the edge in this, in this race.

[F]

Rod, it feels like we're back in the Big 12 where most years if you just pick Oklahoma to win the conference, more often than not, you're probably going to be right. That's kind of where I am with Georgia. Until somebody actually goes out and knocks Georgia off the throne, I'm, I'm rolling with Kirby Smart to win the conference title.

[D]

Yeah, the old, you know, the old Ric Flair quote, right? To be the man, you got to beat the man. And George is the man right now. Kirby Smart 34 1, I believe at home since 20, 20, 56 and 5 at home under Kirby Smart. Hard to beat them at home. And they got a lot of things that trav defense, lines of scrimmage, run game, travel well in the SEC. So I'm with it 100. I, I hated to do it. I really wanted to try to pick Texas, but I stopped thinking about it from a football standpoint and I couldn't justify. I just couldn't justify.

[F]

All right. Jerry and Jordan also went with Georgia. I do want to get to the one member of our panel that did pick Texas. Hank is the, the loan holdout. Hank went with Longworth. Hank, when you sat down and thought about this, why Texas? Why is this the year Texas one of the sec.

[B]

Well, I think you look at their history the last few years, they've obviously have not been able to overcome Georgia. Those three games did not feature Will Must champ as the defensive coordinator. And I, I think now you go and get him. I don't think Sark would tell you that they went out to and got Will must champ to beat Georgia. But I think that was probably in his head when he's, when he's thinking about how do we take that next step in the Southeastern Conference. And the guys they brought in on defense, they brought in havoc makers on defense, Rasheen Biles, I mean the, the, the, the pass rush they're going to be able to generate this season. The guys in the front seven, the deep, the secondary, you know, we'll see how that comes together. But added difference makers there as well. Bo Masco we think can take a big jump. Obviously, Jelani McDonald's in for a big season. So I, I just think I, I don't think I can sit here and talk all off season about how we think this is the best or How I think this is the best Texas team since 2005 and then not pick them to win the SEC. And so I know the schedule is brutal. They don't have to play Georgia and Athens. Maybe they have to play Georgia and Atlanta in. In Mercedes Benz. That's still kind of a Georgia home game, but obviously, you know, Texas fans can travel more to that one. I just think it has all the makings. Georgia, you know, they're a young team, but you look at them, like every year, it's like, oh, they're going to regress, but it seems like they just get better. I think Georgia is going to be really good. I think they're going to make the playoff. I think Texas. I think Texas can. Can right the ship there with their, you know, perceived Georgia problem this season with this. With this roster makeup.

[F]

Yeah, Jerry Styles make fights, and I just haven't liked the matchup with Texas and Georgia the last few years. When you look at this, Jerry, if it's Texas and Georgia in Atlanta for the SEC championship, is there anything with the way these two rosters are built or anything that you've come to a conclusion with throughout the off season that leads you to believe this one's going to be different?

[E]

Yeah, look, I actually do. Look, I. I just want to say the reason I'm actually picking Georgia to be the man, you got to beat the man. I do 100 believe that. But if Texas and Georgia flip schedules, I'd be picking Texas. Like, Georgia's schedule is much more easy, not easy, much more manageable to navigate than Texas. That's the major reason I went with Georgia here. I mean, if you set the schedules comparison, I mean, look, they get Oklahoma and Athens. They get Vanderbilt. Nathan, too. It's not going to be the same team, but still, Vanderbilt has more Mojo now, and you go to Bama, but you get Auburn at home. You know, Florida's a neutral game. Right. They go to Ole Miss, but they get Missouri at home. And Georgia Tech's not going to be as good a team at the end of the year, even though that's not SEC standings necessarily. But Georgia's got a better schedule than Texas has, and George's got some really good defensive players back if those two teams played. Look, is there anything that's different? I. I'll tell you what is different for me if these two teams meet up in the SEC championship game is if Texas gets there to play Georgia. That means they've navigated a. Some people will say the toughest schedule in the country. So they may be playing like the best team in America. If they get to Atlanta this year, they may be the number one or two team in America legitimately. And if they get there, that means they've in they are a more physical football team on this schedule. That means they aren't the 136th most penalized team in America. There's going to be a lot of things that lead me down the path of I actually would take Texas to beat Georgia even though it's a Georgia home game. Obviously injuries are going to play into it. But there's no way on this schedule when you add Ohio State to it, that Texas will get to the Mercedes Dome into the SEC championship game. If they haven't improved in all the areas we've been talking about in the off season, this schedule, that dog won't hunt. If they're 134th in penalties, they won't be in the SEC championship game. They had to be. They have to be a more disciplined football team. And if you do that with that talent level, I, I'll have a hard time picking against you because of your talent.

[F]

Yep. If you're looking for something positive, Hank did remind me before we started recruiting in 2023, I use the same logic. I said I couldn't pick Texas to win in Tuscaloosa because I wasn't going to pick against Nick Saban. So if want to go against the grain and just go the opposite of what I do, you probably got a decent chance of being right. So I'll give you that. For all the Texas fans watching Jordan, I'll start with you. It's, it's a, it's a 5 to 1 vote in terms of Georgia being, at least for us on this panel, being the SEC champion. Do you have Texas in the playoff, Jordan? And if so, or if not, how many SEC teams and who are they in the playoff?

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[F]

ou, Georgia, cj, You, Marcus Myers and I. On the Wednesday live stream, we kind of broke it down and looked at just our top four teams in the conference. I don't know if you're following that same logic here, but to me, the four best teams in the SEC might not be the four teams in the playoffs because Jerry's pointed it out. Rod's point out schedules are going to make or break a couple of these teams. So who's. Who's in the playoffs for ucj? How many and who are they?

[G]

Yeah, I'm sticking with those four teams. It's Texas, it's Georgia, I think, leading the way. I think that's going to be your SEC championship game. And then beyond them, Jordan, I do have Oklahoma in there. And unlike what many believe, it's not because of John Matier. Though you average 20 points per game in SEC play and still make the playoff a year ago, I can only assume anything slightly better than that is a more dangerous Oklahoma team. Given the defensive history of Brent Venables at Oklahoma. I do think it is a race to 21 points in all of those games for Oklahoma. If they can reach that number, they're going to win a lot of games this year. And then it's LSU as my fourth team. I look, I'm not a Sam Lovett believer, but I'm a Sam Lovett with Lane Kiffin believer. And I do think that the talent on that offensive line, I love what they have in their front seven, especially with a whip, a healthy wit. Weeks at middle linebacker, Devon Keys in the mix there. Look, we'll see what that front seven looks like. But I like the defensive coordinator. I like the pairing with Lane Kiffin. Those are my four teams. Those are who I think get in. Alabama is still that one team for me. I just don't have a pulse. I have no idea what to expect for them. That was the least competitive Alabama team I've seen in really the last 20 years. And two of their three final games that they played in 20, 25 and now they're going into a brand new starting quarterback in 26. I don't know what to think of Alabama, but that would be the one wild card for me.

[F]

Rod, I don't know if you've got a wild card, but who are your SEC teams in the College Football Playoff and how many do you have?

[D]

Yeah, I just kind of went with five teams because they had five in last year. So I just went with five. Could kind of cheat and give myself more teams to pick. Texas and Georgia, obviously. I think everybody has those penciled in as the two front runners to make the playoffs. But also I went with LSU because I like the talent and I'm a big Lane Kiffin fan. He's gonna have an explosive offense everywhere he goes. In the last seven years, I think six of the last seven years he's had an offense that's top 10 in generating 20 plus yard plays. No matter where he goes he's going to have an explosive offense, so it may be his most explosive potentially there at LSU with that kind of talent. The offensive lines are concerned, but I feel like a lot of teams have concerns on the O line about the continuity and how quickly things are going to come together. They brought in a lot of transfer portal tal on the offensive line. So I got lsu. I'm a true believer there. I got Oklahoma too. I just think this schedule sets up a little bit better for Oklahoma than it does for either an A M down the stretch or even an Ole Miss. Those are kind of two teams I left out and I took another. I got Bama in there as well. To CJ's point about the wild card, I do think they are a wild card, but I have faith in Kaylin Deborah. What is he, 7 and 3 versus top 10 teams, 20 and 6 versus the top 25. I feel like he's too damn good of a coach. Not the figure it out at Alabama. So I just went with him because I got faith in Kayleen Debor. So those are my five.

[F]

Jerry, I want to go to you, but I want to preface it by something you mentioned before we started recruiting, that it's been out there but I think you kind of brought it home and put it into perspective. This may be the biggest year we've seen in a long time, or at least that I can remember for SEC teams in terms of needing to win that non conference game. With the nine game conference schedule, your margin for error is going to decrease significantly. And whether it's Texas, Ohio State, lsu, Clemson, you know, Oklahoma going to Michigan, if you lose that non con game, Jerry, you could get yourself in a bind pretty quick in a nine game SEC schedule.

[E]

That's what I circled for this show is Ole Miss plays Louisville and everybody said, oh, they'll beat Louisville. Problem's a good coach, they got pretty good players. LSU has Clemson neutral. Texas has Ohio State at home, Oklahoma's at Michigan. Whoever loses, whichever team loses this game, I think ends up not making the playoff. I think these are must win games for these four teams in the sec because the nine game schedule and trying to navigate through it now, some schedules are easier than others, but and I'm saying the same thing for Texas, if they lose to Ohio State. Look at the rest of the schedule. You have one game margin for Eric. I mean that's the crazy thing. And then if you look at a couple other schedules, okay, A and m needs to be 70 to start the season because look at the way Their season ends. Look at the schedule when it ends. Okay? The last thing A and M needs to be is 9 and 2. When Texas is rolling the town, that's the last thing place A and M needs to be. Bama. If they start 5, 0, they're going to have a shot. If they don't stub their toe and have one of those ugly games early, they should go 5 and O to start on their schedule. And then, then they get to Georgia and then it starts to get tougher. But I'm telling you, the first games of the year for the sec, Ole Miss, lsu, Texas and Oklahoma. And Oklahoma has a road game at Michigan and we'll see what Kyle Whittingham has. But you know it's going to be a better team than what Sharon Moore and that disaster put on the field last year. So whoever wins those games to start the season, I think definitely has a leg up. And who loses? I mean, think about Oklahoma. If they lost to Michigan, they go to Georgia two weeks later. Yeah, they'll have two losses going to the Cotton Ball. Anybody think they're going to win out if they're, if they're two and two to start?

[G]

That was the position Texas was in a year ago. Right. And obviously didn't work out.

[E]

It's tough. I mean, it's tough with a nine game SEC schedule because the reason it's hard to pick this guys is I think injuries are really going to impact this this year because there's only one off week and nine SEC games. I think injuries are going to impact this SEC season more than any season we've seen before. And it should. But I have Georgia, I do have Texas. I do think Georgia, I think Texas is facing a must win game against Ohio State, but I feel like they're going to win that must win game and then they're going to give themselves a little leeway. And man, after that it is really tough. I like, I like what Jordan said about Florida. They're sneaky because they're like Texas. They have a lot of talent. I'm not saying they have Texas this year, but they always have a lot of talent at Florida. If Buster Faulkner and Philo come through, they got some pieces on that team and they've got a more of a favorable schedule. So when I'm picking this, it's tough because you look at the schedules and the schedules just aren't balanced or even and that plays into it as well. But I'm going to go Georgia, I'm going to go Texas. I, I Don't like it, but I think I'm gonna go Ole Miss because I think Trinidad Chambers may be the best player in the league on a Saturday. I think he's, he is. He's proven he has a clutch gene. And those. That team is going to believe in their guy, maybe more so than the other quarterback in this league. And then I'm gonna say, I'm gonna say Oklahoma takes care of Michigan and Ann Arbor and they find a way in. I'm going with four.

[F]

All right, so Jerry's got four, Hank.

[E]

I'm not confident about that at all, by the way.

[F]

No, I'm, I'm right there with you, Jerry. I've tried to tier these teams and kind of who's on the same level, and then you end up with a group of about six or seven and it's like, hey, just pick a handful of these to get to the playoff. And they all kind of have the same, the same makeup and the varying issues with schedule and whatnot. Hank, I know you've got Texas getting that auto bid as the SEC champion. Who are your other playoff teams? How many you got from the SEC getting in?

[B]

Yeah, I went four as well. Texas, Georgia. I think those are, those are two easy picks to make the playoff. I picked Texas to go in a prior video 11:1 with the one loss to LSU. I think LSU is just too talented to not make the playoff. I mean, I know they have a brutal start to the schedule, but you look at Clemson. Clemson's not the same Clemson, and it's in Baton Rouge, Ole Miss. Lane Kiffin's gonna have him ready for that. There's just too much talent on both, both sides of the ball for lsu, I think, to, you know, stumble past two games. And if they beat Texas, that obviously opens up the path a little bit clearer. And then Rod kind of said exactly what I was thinking about with Alabama. I think Alabama will make the playoff. You look back to last season, they didn't.

[F]

They had.

[B]

Their running game was non existent and they still made the playoff. They still, obviously they got, they got smacked by Indiana, but they got a win on the road at Oklahoma. They won a playoff game. They were in, in, in contention there. They've addressed that. They have kind of the same guys back, but obviously they brought in Xavier Cruell, the, the freshman star running back that the Texas was trying to get. I think they have really good receivers. Obviously, Ryan Coleman Williams is back. He had a great freshman season. Kind of dipped off in, in sophomore year, but I think he'll he'll rebound lots here. Brooks, who's one of the most talented receivers in the league. And then they brought a lot back on defense too. They have one of the top pass rushers, Yon Z, Pierre Zabian Brown. I think Bama has all the makeup. I think they have the schedule that will, will keep them in playoff contention and ultimately make it. I was, I was tempted to put Oklahoma, but we talked about that, that, you know, prior to the Red River Shootout. I think they're just going to be too beat up by, by the time they get to that game. I mean I, I think Michigan could certainly beat them. Obviously Georgia can beat them. I just don't think they, I don't think they have enough to, to keep it, you know, under, you know, three losses. So I went with those four teams. Texas winning the sec. It should be really interesting. Ole Miss, I, I think, I think Kiffin took away some of the Ole Miss Mojo. This is Pete Golding's first, first go is as a full time head coach. He did not. Doesn't have the same roster as Trinidad Chambliss who should cover up some errors. I just think it's too much to ask for him to get into the playoff year one.

[F]

Yeah, thank you for that, Hank. I, I've got four as well, obviously. Georgia, Texas. I think the path to Texas for the playoff, it's going to be the same road they Traveled down in 24. Get to the SEC title game, lose to Georgia and then you'll host a first round playoff game. I've got Ole Miss similar to Jerry Trinidad. Chambliss allows me to give you the benefit of the doubt, so he's going to cover up a lot of mistakes. I like channels. Then lsu, like you're, you're looking at a team that you're trying to look okay, who's got the right combination of like roster, talent, coaches you trust. What it, what accounts for a favorable schedule. I think LSU's got a nice. Because their schedule is not really front loaded. It's not really back loaded either. It's kind of balanced. So I actually LSU would be my fourth team. CJ I want to go to you though. Let's go to the. A couple of the rivals here. None of us had the Aggies in the playoff and that might sound like we're drinking the haterade, but C.J. you, you brought up a really good point with a M. A couple of really good points. First year offensive coordinator. Do you trust Marcel Reader? No. And then they got a lot to replace from that offensive line coming back.

[G]

Yeah. And look, I think they did a fine job adding from the portal on their offensive line. They went out and added guys from Alabama, South Carolina, lsu, but again, none of those guys could run the football a year ago. So you're just kind of plucking pieces from units that weren't all great. Now do you put them together in your own scheme and find more success? Potentially. But when it comes down to it, the quarterback plays a large role and so does the play caller. And so when you have a first time play caller and what I believe to be a limited quarterback from the pocket, well, there's a lot of questions that I, I have with Texas A M. Defensively, I don't have any questions about that side of the football. I think they're very much like Oklahoma where year in and year out they're going to field a very competent, borderline elite defense. But again the quarterback where if you look at Texas A m against top 35 ranked scoring defenses a year ago, so that's Notre Dame, That's Texas, that's LSU, Auburn, Missouri. He was under 50 completion percentage. He had more interceptions than touchdowns. That's where my concerns were. And yes, you could point to the legs, but he only rushed for 40 yards in two of those six games. So for me, he has to take a major step forward. For me to think that A M is one of these four teams in my mind making the College Football Playoff

[E]

from the sec, I, I want to add real quick, they better A m better be 9 and 1 after 10 because they go to Oklahoma and then host Texas on a short week. Those are your last two games. They, they need to be nine and one after ten.

[F]

Yeah, that's enough.

[C]

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[E]

Finish.

[F]

Jerry, actually want to get your thoughts and then Jordan as well. Follow up after that. But Jerry, first your thoughts on just A&M's roster. Do you, do you like their roster?

[E]

I'm always going to like the roster of a team that's a top five Nil team. It doesn't mean we know them all but they if you're a top five nil team, you're going to have more talent than people want to give you credit for. I think what will be interesting with A M for me is there is. Is really their secondary.

[F]

Okay.

[E]

Because and now I agree with the, the biggest question mark around their team is the whole is Holman Wiggins first time calling plays? But then it's also then it's Marcel Reed. But if you look at their secondary and I'd like Rob to comment, comment on this, they lost some really good players in their secondary. Okay. And if you look at their secondary this year going in they're dependent on Ricky Gibson. The Tennessee transfer missed all last year being healthy. Okay. They got Dolph, they got Des Ricks is really solid one corner, Humphrey at the other corner. Georgia didn't fight to keep him. He's not a guy that Kirby Smart, the best coach in the league and both staff in the league said and we're gonna fight to keep him. So if he's the starting corner, other corner, they're vulnerable. They're going to be a little. They got some more questions in their secondary than they did a year ago. We'll see if Adonis Curry, one of their young kids comes through for them. Right. They lost obviously they lost a lot on both lines of scrimmage. A D.J. hicks as a senior has to come on and look like an NFL player for them and Marco Jones is going to have to be as good a pass rusher as they think he is as a sophomore. So defensively they lost some key guys. They lost a lot of confidence in players. They lost their leaders on defense as well. So they got a lot to replace on, on the, on the defensive side to go with Holman Wiggins, a first time play caller. But I will say this, their roster overall, they got a bunch of NFL draft picks, future NFL draft picks on and they're going to because of where they sit in the nil race. I mean they're going to be hanging around the rim. That's why I say for the A and M program they're going to be hanging around the rim now because financially they're able to.

[F]

Yeah, Jordan along with A and M. Is there anybody's roster that you like teams either with discussed or haven't discussed or just schedule aside that you just like their roster?

[A]

I think going back to Florida, I just think they're kind of being slept on with that question. Like they had Billy Napier Waiting to be fired coaching them and they still beat Texas's ass. And what was a rather non competitive game like that is the talent they have on that team. Now you can ask yourself, was Texas as talented last year as everyone thought they were going into the season? No, probably not. They weren't. But with Florida they still have Dallas Wilson, Vernel Brown iii, Jaden Ball, Aaron Philo, he's comfortable in that offense he's been running for years with Buster Faulkner and on the O line too. That, that's one thing I think not enough people are also bringing up whenever they talk about Florida. They got Adam Trotwine from Penn State. He's sneakily been one of the better online coaches in college football the last few years. Yes, they have a lot of transfers in, but the O line isn't something I'm really worried about for them. I think it'll be average around average and I think that's all you need. Look at what Jaden Bough did the last two years with what was likely a below average online. So I think there's a lot to like there. I think John Stomral is one of the coaches that gets us. I, I should say it this way, John Sumrall gets his players to play harder for him than I think, you know, most other coaches in college football. Not that it's not like guys aren't going out not playing for their coach, but you get what I'm saying, he knows how to get his guys ready, you know, his ball. I think top to bottom, this is a much better staff than what Napier put together and pretty much everyone would agree with me on that. But I think again, I really think Florida has a chance to shock folks this year.

[E]

I would say watch out for their defensive line guys. Texas thought Jaden woods was a top 10 level pick. Yeah, Florida got the top 10 level pick back. Texas love Joseph and Bach too. It looks like in Baktu is going to be a player. Then Brett, the other defensive lineman is on some first, second round mock drafts. Watch out for their defensive line and they got depth behind that. Their defensive line has a chance to be really good despite losing Kayla Banks who didn't even play against Texas by the way, and a couple other interior guys. Watch out for Florida's defensive line and linebackers. I think they got talent over there.

[A]

They also still have Kormani McLean like that. That guy was ranked the number one corner in the country for a reason. I know. You know, he kind of got off path, went to Colorado, then was a Walk on at Florida before they put him on scholarship, but he still has a really high ceiling. He can still put it together, become a consistent starter in the SEC and, you know, kind of that CB one for them.

[E]

And they're similar to Texas in this. Every receiver they're going to trot out is going to be a draft pick.

[G]

Yeah, Yeah.

[F]

I want to get your thoughts real quick. Just because you've been a part of Texas ou, you played in that game, you've observed it for a long time. And when you look at Oklahoma's schedule, obviously they could come into Dallas with a couple of losses. How much does that concern you? Just the wounded animal theory. Kind of like Texas was last year. And CJ and I've talked about this. OU is interesting because they've got a formula that can work. Ball control, defense, trust your kicking game. They can win that way. And it's really weird, like Brent Venables is a Bill Snyder disciple. It's kind of like it's really weird to see the Bill Snyder style of football in SC in the SEC in 2026. But that's what OU plays. Small margin for error.

[B]

Rod.

[F]

But their defense, special teams is good enough to win them a lot of games.

[D]

Yeah, I mean, it was an elite defense when Texas played it last year. Right. That was a top five defense. I think Brennanville's will again have a. An elite unit. Right. Top 10, top 15 unit defensively. The question is on offense, will Johnny Material have to play too much hero ball? Will they get the pieces around him, some weapons around him so that you can kind of balance that offense? But I'm with you. I do think there's desperation on their side because Sark has won those games. They've been such lopsided games, embarrassing performances from the Oklahoma side of things. So I think they'll come in a game with a lot of desperation. We'll see how they handle the Michigan game early on. But you know, one thing, I think they have a bye week also right before, if I'm not mistaken, that Texas game. So that also is a little bit of an advantage for you too. But like I said, I think Oklahoma can handle what happens early on with them, the Michigan game. But you're right, I think ultimately that Texas game for Brent Venables, this could be maybe the biggest Texas OU matchup that he has been a part of. Just because a lot of pressure on his side for them to finally show up and beat Stark. I know he's done it once, but a lot of pressure for him to do it again, considering how lopsided some of those losses have been.

[F]

Hank, I don't know if this is necessarily giving you the last word, but I just want to let you take a victory lap because you're probably gonna be everybody's favorite OTF staff member this week, being the only one to pick Texas to win the sdc. So go ahead and just accept your flowers, Hank.

[B]

Yeah, I mean, I don't think Texas is going to be perfect. I think they're going to trip up. I, I picked them to lose at lsu. We'll see what that pick looks like come November. But I think you return one of the best quarterbacks in the country. You got him some, some running backs that are difference makers that, that can take some pressure off of him. Hard to find a much better wide receiver core. They've upgraded on the offensive line. I mean, just every position has guys and they have depth and maybe special teams is, is what trips Texas up. We'll see. They brought in some transfers. You know, the spring game showcase wasn't, Wasn't the best showing for them, particularly at kicker. But, you know, they have the summer to work on it. Maybe, maybe they, they. They. They find that groove going into the fall. But I think it'll be a good season. I'm curious to see how it goes. And, and I, I do agree with Jerry, that Ohio State game, I, that, that is, that is very important that, that Texas wins that game because you just. They're. It's a brutal rush. The way I know. I'm saying they're going 11 and 1, but that doesn't mean they're gonna, they're gonna go 11 and 1. Just blowing out teams. It's gonna, it's gonna be a grind.

[E]

I would also say congrats to Texas on not being the most hated team this year. Will anybody cheer for Notre Dame outside of Notre Dame fans this year?

[F]

Oh,

[D]

yeah.

[E]

And number two is Texas Tech. Nobody. Nobody in college football fan in America will cheer for Notre Dame to make a playoff in Texas Tech to make a playoff. Nobody outside of their own fan base this year. So Texas doesn't have the mantle anymore. Not this year.

[F]

We'll see how Sark manufactures that chip on the shoulder. When you're not even the most hated college football team.

[E]

You're not even hated anymore. You're getting off easy this year.

[F]

All right, that'll do it. Cj, Hank, Jordan, Rod, Jerry. Thank you guys for the time, the knowledge, the intel, the expertise. As always, big thank you to Matthew behind the scenes for producing it, doing the great job that he does. Thank you to our friends at Prize Picks for sponsoring this edition of On Texas Football. If you're not a member over at On Texas Football, you want content like our sideline debate and much, much more. Make sure you get over to the website now and check out everything we've got going on over there. Make sure that you like this video. Make sure you're subscribed to the on Texas Football YouTube channel, and make sure you got your notifications set. That way, anytime we drop a new video or go live, you're not missing any of our Longhorn coverage or breaking news. For cj, For Hank, for Jordan, for Rod, for Jerry, for Matthew, for the entire On Texas Football staff, I'm Jeff Howell. Thank you so much for watching and listening. And until next time, welcome.

[A]

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[F]

So go check it out.

[A]

And then don't forget, hit that.

[C]

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[A]

it done like and subscribe button.