Picking up their third straight win on Nov. 15 wasn't just important to Texas because of momentum - it made the Longhorns bowl eligible even though they lost to TCU.
Not many fans expected this team to be bowling when they were sitting at a 2-4 record just over a month ago...but here we are. While Charlie Strong's team won't be headed to any of the top-tier bowls, there are still some very interesting possibilities in store for the Longhorns:
AutoZone Liberty Bowl (Big 12 vs. SEC)
Mon., Dec. 29, 2:00 p.m. ET
Liberty Bowl, Memphis, TN
The Longhorns have never played in the Liberty Bowl, but this would be a well-received matchup by both players and fans. Against an SEC squad, you know it'll be a tough, interesting game, and in December, there are a LOT of worse places to play than Memphis.
Texas would likely face South Carolina or LSU in the Liberty Bowl, but Texas A&M is also in play. If the Texas-Texas A&M matchup happens, though, both sets of fans would like it to go down a little closer to home...more on that later.
Russell Athletic Bowl (ACC vs. Big 12)
Mon., Dec. 29, 5:30 p.m. ET
Florida Citrus Bowl, Orlando, FL
The Russell Athletic Bowl always manages to land big teams with huge fanbases, and now that they're tied to the Big 12 for the first time, Texas certainly fits the bill. While this game usually hosts teams with seven or eight wins, Texas has the drawing power and giant fanbase to make up for a few on-field hiccups. They've also turned things around in a big way during the second half of their season - for bowl games that are on the fence about Texas, that momentum swing could make the difference.
Duke, Miami (Fl.) and Notre Dame are all possible opponents here - it's crazy to think that Notre Dame was 6-0 while Texas was 2-4, and now they could be on course to face off in a bowl game...but that's college football for ya.
AdvoCare V100 Texas Bowl (Big 12 vs. SEC)
Mon., Dec. 29, 9:00 p.m. ET
NRG Stadium, Houston, TX
Here's where it gets really interesting. The internet has been buzzing for weeks about the possibility of a Texas-Texas A&M matchup in the Texas Bowl, and while it seems like the perfect scenario for everyone involved, A&M is reportedly getting cold feet. A loss to Texas would cause massive problems for A&M's PR and recruiting initiatives, since it's hard to claim you "run the state" when you've just lost a bowl game against your old in-state nemesis. While there are rumors that A&M or the SEC would block the move if the Texas Bowl tried to invite both teams, neither has been confirmed...so it still isn't out of the question.
If A&M (or the SEC) steps in and rules this out, Florida and LSU are both possible opponents for Texas here - playing Florida would be a letdown given Will Muschamp's situation, but games against LSU never fail to entertain.
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