The Texas Longhorns ranked seventh in the initial College Football Playoff rankings which were released on Halloween. Texas (7-1) is the only program from the Lone Star State to make the rankings. Steve Sarkisian's club ranks in front of Oklahoma - the only team to knock off his Longhorns in the 2023 season. They play Kansas State in Week 10 and still control their destiny in the Big 12. Texas's road to the College Football Playoff is complicated by the possibility of four undefeated conference champions. 

Texas was the second-highest ranked one-loss team behind the sixth-ranked Oregon Ducks. The top five teams are undefeated. Washington checked in at fifth and would be just outside the playoffs if the invitational began today. The top four teams in the first rankings started with Florida State at four and Michigan at three. Two-time defending champion Georgia was placed in the second spot with Ohio State ranked first.