Texas football: 5 best seasons in Longhorns history

University of Texas quarterback Vince Young heads for the goal line to score the winning touchdown late in the 4th quarter as No. 2 Texas beat No. 1 USC 41-38, Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2006 in the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif. (Ron Jenkins/Fort Worth Star-Telegram/TNS via Getty Images)
University of Texas quarterback Vince Young heads for the goal line to score the winning touchdown late in the 4th quarter as No. 2 Texas beat No. 1 USC 41-38, Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2006 in the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif. (Ron Jenkins/Fort Worth Star-Telegram/TNS via Getty Images) /
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Best Texas football seasons ever
(Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images) /

5. Best Texas football teams: 2008 teams comes up short vs. Texas Tech

The 2008 Texas Longhorns probably don’t get enough recognition for everything that they accomplished. While this is not a season in which Texas claims a national championship, had it not been for one of the most difficult stretches of schedule in recent college football history, the Longhorns probably would have played for a national title in this season.

Tabbed as the No. 11 team at the beginning of the year, Texas got off to an amazing start to the season. The Longhorns plowed right through Florida Atlantic, UTEP, Rice, Arkansas, and Colorado, earning a 5-0 record and No. 5 ranking before meeting up with top-ranked Oklahoma in Dallas.

That Red River Shootout would be the first game of a four-game stretch that included games against the No. 1 team at a neutral site, the No. 11 team, the No. 7 team, and a road trip to face the No. 6 in the country.

In the Red River Shootout, No. 5 Texas took down Oklahoma 45-35, which launched the Longhorns to No. 1. Texas then dispatched of No. 11 Missouri 56-31 and survived No. 7 Oklahoma State 28-24.

And that’s when a trip out west to Lubbock came up.

The No. 1 Longhorns were unable to continue their impressive winning streak over highly-ranked foes as the fell 39-33 to Michael Crabtree and No. 6 Texas Tech on Tech’s home field.

For Texas’ sake, it’s unfortunate that Leach and the Red Raiders found a way to throw a wrench into their perfect season. The Longhorns had all the tools necessary to win a national title in 2008, but they slipped up against a truly great opponent in Texas Tech. That six-point loss derailed Texas in 2008, but the Longhorns got back on track and finished the year in amazing fashion.

Texas finished the season by crushing Baylor, Kansas, and Texas A&M and then meeting up with No. 10 Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl. The No. 3 Longhorns came out on top of that game 24-21, ending the year with a 12-1 record, a Fiesta Bowl victory over Ohio State, and three wins over foes ranked No. 11 or higher.

Texas’ 2008 season was a great one.