Does SEC still hold college football’s crown? It’s up to new member Texas to decide — Texas’ secondary is strong, but hasn’t seen anything like Ohio State star Jeremiah Smith What’s at stake? Texas can clinch a trip to the national championship game for the first time in 15 years with a win in Friday’s College Football Playoff semifinals.

Can Texas football upset Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl? We make the case for the Longhorns to advance in the College Football Playoff.

When Texas announced plans to enter the SEC, the Longhorns immediately embarked on a 5-7 season in 2021 that was historic for all the wrong reasons. Since that moment, Texas has truly brought itself back from the brink and now stands alone as the only SEC team remaining in the first 12-team College Football Playoff.

The No. 2 Auburn Tigers take on the Texas Longhorns at Moody Center on Tuesday night for their first SEC road test of the season. Auburn was led to an 84-68 win over Missouri in its SEC opener by Johni Broome who had 24 points and seven rebounds. Chad Baker-Mazara and Chaney Johnson each had 13 points and Denver Jones scored 10.

The No. 2 Tigers held on for the win at Texas on Tuesday, and things don't get any easier for the Longhorns against No. 1 Tennessee on Saturday.