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10 teams who could make their first College Football Playoff in 2019

By Nick Villano

ATLANTA, GA - JANUARY 08: The College Football Playoff National Championship Trophy during the College Football Playoff National Championship Game between the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Georgia Bulldogs on January 8, 2018 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, GA. (Photo by David Rosenblum/IconSportswire)
ATLANTA, GA - JANUARY 08: The College Football Playoff National Championship Trophy during the College Football Playoff National Championship Game between the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Georgia Bulldogs on January 8, 2018 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, GA. (Photo by David Rosenblum/IconSportswire) /
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NEW ORLEANS, LA – JANUARY 01: Texas Longhorns quarterback Sam Ehlinger (11) hypes the crowd after scoring in the first half during the Allstate Sugar Bowl game between the Georgia Bulldogs and the Texas Longhorns on January 1, 2019 at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, LA. (Photo by Bobby McDuffie/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
NEW ORLEANS, LA – JANUARY 01: Texas Longhorns quarterback Sam Ehlinger (11) hypes the crowd after scoring in the first half during the Allstate Sugar Bowl game between the Georgia Bulldogs and the Texas Longhorns on January 1, 2019 at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, LA. (Photo by Bobby McDuffie/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

1. Texas

The Texas Longhorns are the biggest threats to the Oklahoma Sooners winning another Big 12 Title. WVU is expected to have a down year after losing its head coach and star quarterback. Iowa State has the talent to play spoiler, but it’s hard to imagine they win eight Big 12 games. The rest of the conference went under .500 in conference play last season. Texas, meanwhile, was the only team that took down Oklahoma in conference play.

The Sooners lost superstar Kyler Murray to the NFL Draft. Meanwhile, the Longhorns are riding high after beating the Georgia Bulldogs in the Sugar Bowl this past season. This puts some serious hype around the program. The thing about hype is some teams get better with hype and some shrink under the pressure. What will this Longhorns team do?

With head coach Tom Herman, this team always has a chance. He was a great hire by the Longhorns.

There are some issues. They have to replace most of their starters on the defensive side, only bringing back three players. The depth of this team is lacking, but this coaching staff gets the best out of its talent.

Sam Ehlinger is the key to the Longhorns’ season. It all rides on his shoulders. He enters his junior season as a legit dual-threat quarterback who led the Longhorns to greatness in his sophomore season. If he can actually grow this season, he could be in the Heisman conversation while leading the Longhorns to their first College Football Playoff berth.

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