The No. 3 Texas Longhorns came into the season with the goal to win the Big 12, believing that would set them up for a chance to play for a national championship.
Four months, 12 wins, and one Big 12 Trophy later, their belief was rewarded with a berth in the College Football Playoffs and the hard work will seemingly pay off in their matchup with the Washington Huskies in the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans on Monday, vying for a spot in the CFP Championship. Both teams are battle-tested, with Washington knocking off the Oregon Ducks not once, but twice in the year — somehow as the underdog in the final game — en route to an undefeated regular season.