Texas' Steve Sarkisian turns heads with statement to CFP committee

Jeff Hauser

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Texas' Steve Sarkisian turns heads with statement to CFP committee image

Steve Sarkisian defended his home turf with No. 16 Texas handing No. 3 Texas A&M their first loss of the year, 27-17, on Saturday night.

The third win over a top-ten opponent this season for the Longhorns was one where the defense battled. Two fourth-quarter interceptions by Aggies QB Marcel Reed were the difference, sealing the win for Texas.

Sarkisian was asked by ESPN's Molly McGrath about the victory after the game. She asked the obvious question about what this does for their College Football Playoff case.

"You tell me that team was undefeated," Sarkisian told Molly McGrath. "No. 3 in the country. A lot of the pundits out there think they're the No. 1 team in the country. We just beat them by 10."

There's been an argument around the country about the quality of opponents, and Sarkisian was quick to point out the difference with Texas' schedule.

"If you really look at the body of work and you look at the Southeastern Conference, and what we have to go through every week. You look at the non-conference schedule we played to go to Ohio State Week 1 and lose by seven when we outgained them by nearly two hundred yards," Sarkisian added.

"We've got a really good football team, and it'll be a disservice to our sport if this team's not a playoff team, or we wouldn't have scheduled that non-conference game. Because if we're a 10-2 team, it's not a question. But we were willing to go play that game. Is that what college football's all about? Don't play anybody and just have a good record. Then play the best and put the best teams in the playoff, and we're one of the best teams."

Whether the committee agrees or not remains to be seen. There's a pretty big gap, including three losses, which could keep them out of the Playoff conversation.

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Contributing Writer