Alabama Football: Week nine key games for Crimson Tide fans

Texas at Oklahoma State

Are the Texas Longhorns back?

I honestly have no idea. There’s nothing to indicate to me that despite victories over then-ranked USC and TCU and No. 8 Oklahoma that they are completely back. They are, however, on the right track under second-year head coach Tom Herman.

Herman is more than capable of winning the big games. The fact that they went shot-for-shot against the Sooners proves he knows how to get his teams ready for the top-tier teams. His victories over Oklahoma, Florida State and a Lamar Jackson-led Louisville at Houston bear this out.

It’s losses to the UConns and Marylands of the world at both stops that have me concerned about Texas being “back” under Herman. There’s nothing like a beatdown to an unranked team to provoke distrust from the Playoff Committee. Ask Herman’s old boss about that.

So, here we are, a trip to Stillwater against the Cowboys. Yes, Mike Gundy’s bunch is hobbling into the game at 4-3, but this seems like the perfect record to send a Tom Herman team (especially a No. 6 ranked one) hurdling back to earth. Plus, Oklahoma State leads the FBS in team sacks with 30 through seven games. Just postulating, here, but with an offense averaging almost 40 points a game, I think Texas might be in for a long day.

Bama Hammer Contributor, Jonathan Waldrop: Oklahoma State 36 – Texas 24

It is time to zone on the CFB Playoff. Bama Hammer will publish our take on the Top Eight teams on Sunday. Tuesday, the Selection Committee will release its first ranking. Our key games posts going forward will include only the Committee’s top eight from each week.