Three reasons Texas can beat Washington in the CFP semifinals

For a second consecutive season, the Washington Huskies and Texas Longhorns will meet in a bowl game. Only this time, a trip to the national championship is at stake.

Last year’s Valero Alamo Bowl provided plenty of offensive fireworks with both teams combining for 865 yards in a 27-20 Huskies win. With such high stakes this year, Monday’s Sugar Bowl matchup will likely be as entertaining, if not more.

Here are three reasons why Texas can beat Washington in the College Football Playoff semifinals:

1. The defensive line

Defensive tackle T'Vondre Sweat, who’s worked his way into the first-round conversation, was named the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year and he won the Outland Trophy, given annually to the nation’s top interior lineman. Washington will have to account for him on every down. Next to Sweat is Byron Murphy II, the Big 12 Defensive Lineman of the Year and a likely Round 2 draft pick. The duo combined for 68 pressures, 54 hurries, 16 tackles for loss, seven sacks and six QB hits.

As if that wasn’t enough for the Huskies offensive line to worry about, the Longhorns also have a strong rotation of lineman including defensive ends Ethan Burke, Barryn Sorrell and Jett Bush plus defensive tackle Alfred Collins to throw UW’s way. The foursome combined for 99 pressures, 67 hurries, 21 QB hits, 18 tackles for loss, 13.5 sacks and two fumble recoveries. 

Not only do the Longhorns generate plenty of pressure up the middle, but they also take away running lanes and essentially build a wall at the line of scrimmage, which not only affects Huskies QB Michael Penix Jr. but running back Dillon Johnson as well.

2. The pass-catchers

While Washington has a trio of athletically gifted wideouts who will all likely be drafted in April, Texas is no slouch when it comes to weapons in the passing game. Xavier Worthy headlines an underrated group that also features Adonai Mitchell, Jordan Whittington and tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders — three of whom are top-60 draft prospects.

Worthy leads the team in receptions (73) and yards (969), and he’s always a threat to take a punt return to the house. Mitchell (51 receptions, 813 yards) leads the team in touchdowns (10), and Whittington put up solid numbers as UT’s No. 3 wideout with 38 catches and 435 yards.

Conversely, Sanders, who had 39 catches for 607 yards and two scores, is arguably the No. 2 TE in the 2024 draft behind Georgia’s Brock Bowers. He finished second in yards per reception (5.6), fifth in receiving yards and yards after the catch (326), and 14th in receptions among all tight ends this year.

3. The coaching staff

While Washington’s Kalen DeBoer has established himself as one of the top college coaches over the last two years, Steve Sarkisian has the decided edge in big-game experience having spent three years in the NFL (one with the Raiders, two with the Falcons) and three seasons as an offensive analyst and then offensive coordinator at Alabama, where he won a national title in 2020 and coached in another in 2016.

Beyond Sarkisian’s extensive experience, the rest of the Texas coaching staff has a combined 15 games of experience coaching in the CFP, while Washington’s staff has none.