By Chris Marler
Season in a sentence
Year one in the SEC wasn’t as daunting as many outside of Austin anticipated or hoped it would be.
Three Highs
- Making the CFP Semifinals
It felt like Texas was always a lock to make the College Football Playoff. The schedule they were given in year one in the SEC was the easiest of any team in the conference. Regardless, getting to the semifinals for the second straight season was a huge win.
- Making the SEC Championship Game
A lot of SEC fans were unhappy with Texas making the SEC Championship game in their first year in the conference. They were constantly reminded of the challenges of the SEC’s weekly grind. Accomplishing something in their first year that multiple SEC teams, including Texas A&M, have never achieved was a significant victory.
- The Defense
The perception of Texas coming into the season was that it would be glitz and glamour and bells and whistles. In other words, it would be a lot of offense and not a lot of toughness. That couldn’t have been further from the truth. Texas’ defense was not only the strength of the team but also one of the best units in the country.
Three Lows
- The losses to Georgia
Texas learned something the hard way in year one: doubting Kirby Smart and allowing him to have a chip on his shoulder is a dangerous game that very few teams win. Losing to Georgia twice with neither being a true road game was a reminder that there is still room for improvement.
- The loss at the goal line
Steve Sarkisian is one of the best offensive minds in all of football. It’s hard to figure out what came over him at the one yard line in the Cotton Bowl against Ohio State. It’s especially hard to figure out after the same thing happened a year ago against Oklahoma.
- Quarterback situation
Texas found themselves in an awkward purgatory of indecision at quarterback this year. Quinn Ewers was great for most of his career, but there were definitely times fans were left wondering if Arch Manning would have been the better choice. The aforementioned goal line playcalling being one of those cases.
The Offense
Texas’ offense felt a little underwhelming this season compared to 2023. However, a lot of that is because of how high the expectations have become in Austin, thanks to Sarkisian and the talent they’ve amassed. Regardless, injuries were an issue from the beginning. Texas lost two top running backs in the preseason, Quinn Ewers missed multiple games again, Isaiah Bond missed multiple games, and future top ten NFL Draft Pick Kelvin Banks Jr. also missed time in the postseason.
Luckily Texas was still deep enough for it to not result in losses. However, it’s hard not to wonder what this offense would have looked like at full strength for the whole season. Texas finished in the top five in the SEC in scoring, total, and passing offense. They also led all teams in the league with 40 passing touchdowns and finished second in completion percentage, passer rating, and passing yards per game.
Offensive Grade: B+
The Defense
As good as the offense was at times the defense was—by far—the strength of this team. That is especially impressive considering the pieces they lost a season ago to the NFL Draft. This Texas unit was one of the best in the conference. They finished top three in the SEC in every major statistical category. They also finished second in the league in sacks and first in turnovers.
The most impressive part of this Texas defense was the star power at every level. Not only did they have the Thorpe Award winner in the secondary, but they also had one of the best linebackers in the country in true freshman Collin Simmons. They didn’t allow over 30 points to any team in regulation all season and only one team finished with over 300 yards of offense before the college football playoff.
Defensive Grade: A+
Overall Grade
Texas was very good in their inaugural season in the SEC. However, as great as it was, it’s hard to think that it will be easy to replicate, considering the schedule that they were given. Texas played two teams that were ranked before the college football playoff and lost to both of them. They didn’t have a win over a ranked team until late December.
That’s nearly impossible to do in the SEC. The good news is they won the games they were supposed to without any slip ups and made it to a second straight semifinal. What’s even better news is that the conference schedule will feature the same opponents once again in 2025.
Overall Season Grade: A-
