Good Morning Longhorn Fans!
A special edition for the College Football Playoffs, despite the absence of our beloved Longhorns.
Previews of this weekend’s four games, and some notes on some the bowl games.
Merry Christmas to all. I hope everyone has a blessed holiday season.
Texas Longhorns
A lot of news on The Forty Acres. The biggest was Thursday, with the announcement that Will Muschamp was coming back to Texas as Defensive Coordinator for the Longhorns (and that Pete Kwiatkowski and Duane Akina will not be back). Sark has also hired Jabbar Juluke to coach running backs.
No surprise that Anthony Hill, Jr. and Michael Taaffe announced they are going to the NFL. Jaylon Guilbeau going too. At first I was surprised about Taaffe not playing in the Citrus Bowl, but after reading his teammates comments of support, I am okay with it. I guess that is just the way college football is now when you are not in the playoffs. Liona Lefau and DeAndre Moore are hitting the portal. Wild times.
Michael Taaffe was awarded the 2025 Allstate Wuerffel Trophy and he is the captain of the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team. The Wuerffel Trophy is college football’s highest community service award.
Sark and Co. had an excellent recruiting season. The Texas class is ranked No. 3 by ESPN, No. 8 by 247sports, and No. 10 by on3.com. Will take a look at some of the kids in the next edition, but we have some players, like Dia Bell and Jermaine Bishop, Jr.
Texas Longhorns All-American Honors
Associated Press: Anthony Hill, Jr., second team at linebacker, and Michael Taaffe third team at safety.
American Football Coaches Association: Michael Taaffe, first team, Colin Simmons and Anthony Hill, Jr. are on the second team.
Football Writers Association of America: Ryan Niblett is first team return specialist. Anthony Hill, Jr. and Michael Taaffe are second team.
Walter Camp: Colin Simmons, second team.
The Sporting News: Colin Simmons, second team.
2026 Texas Longhorns Schedule
Going to be a great season. Can’t wait.
September 5: Texas State Bobcats
September 12: Ohio State University Buckeyes
September 19: UT San Antonio Roadrunners
September 26: at Tennessee Volunteers
October 10: Red River Shootout with the Land Thieves
October 17: Florida Gators.
October 24: Ole Miss Rebels
October 31: Mississippi State Bulldogs
November 7: at Missouri Tigers
November 14: at Louisiana State Tigers
November 21: Arkansas Razorbacks
November 27: at Texas Agricultural & Mechanical Aggies
College Football Playoffs
Friday
No. 9 Alabama Crimson Tide (10-3) vs. No. 8 Oklahoma Land Thieves (10-2), 7:00 p.m. on ABC/ESPN from Norman. Setting aside any personal opinions which I might hold about these teams, this is the best matchup in the first round. The Thieves went to Tuscaloosa and beat the Crimson Tide 23-21. The Land Thieves are favored by 1.5, over/under is 40.5.
| Projected Winner | Projected Loser | PW | PM | PF | PA | PT |
| Land Thieves | Crimson Tide | .505 | 0.2 | 21.4 | 21.3 | 42.7 |
Saturday
No. 10 Miami (FL) Hurricanes (10-2) at No. 7 Texas A. and M. Aggies (11-1), 11:00 a.m. on ABC/ESPN from Kyle Field in College Station. Texas Agricultural & Mechanical favored by 3.5, and the over/under is 48.5. I have been encouraging all my Aggie friends to go, as I think the Clemson playoff game in Austin last year was one of the best games I have been to at DKR – Texas Memorial Stadium. Kyle Field will be wild. So will the game. Don’t like Miami (FL). I think the Aggies will get the win. Gig em!
BCF Game Projection:
| Projected Winner | Projected Loser | PW | PM | PF | PA | PT |
| Texas A. and M. | Miami | .513 | 0.4 | 26.2 | 25.8 | 52.0 |
No. 11 Tulane Green Wave (11-2) at No. 6 Ole Miss Rebels (11-1), 2:30 p.m. on TNT/HBO Max/truTV from Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in Oxford. A fun game after what will be an amazing day in The Grove. Rebels favored by 17.5 points, the over/under is 56.5. Ole Miss should win comfortably. Hotty Toddy!
| Projected Winner | Projected Loser | PW | PM | PF | PA | PT |
| Ole Miss | Tulane | .899 | 18.3 | 38.1 | 19.8 | 57.9 |
No. 12 James Madison Dukes (12-1) at No. 5 Oregon Ducks (11-1), 6:30 p.m. on TNT/HBO Max/truTV from Autzen Stadium in Eugene. Despite the heroic efforts of the JMU media and creative team, which was amazing, I think the Ducks will smoke the Dukes. Oregon favored by 20.5, over/under is 47.5.
| Projected Winner | Projected Loser | PW | PM | PF | PA | PT | |
| Oregon | James Madison | .983 | 25.6 | 38.1 | 12.5 | 50.7 |
Bowl Games
The bowl games continue to lose luster, which is unfortunate in my opinion. I think they still have a place in college football. Some of the games between now and the Citrus Bowl Edition of the Austin Horns Fan Dispatch.
Friday December 19
Kennesaw State (10-3) vs. Western Michigan (9-4) in the Myrtle Beach Bowl. 10:00 a.m. on ESPN. Broncos are favored by 3.5, over/under is 47.5.
Memphis Tigers (8-4) vs. NC State Wolfpack (7-5), the Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl, 1:30 p.m. on ESPN. Wolfpack favored by 3.5, over/under is 56.5. Pretty good game for Friday afternoon.
Monday December 22
Washington State (6-6) vs. Utah State (6-6), in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, 1:00 p.m. on ESPN,. Aggies favored by 1.5, over/under is 49.5.
Tuesday December 23
Toledo (8-4) vs. Louisville (8-4), in the Bush’s Boca Raton Bowl, 1:00 p.m. on ESPN. Louisville favored by 6.5
Western Kentucky (8-4) vs. Southern Miss (7-5), in the New Orleans Bowl, 4:30 p.m. on ESPN.
UNLV (10-3) vs. Ohio (8-4), in the Scooter’s Coffee Frisco Bowl, 8:00 p.m. on ESPN.
Wednesday December 24
California (7-5) vs. Hawai’i (8-4), in the Sheraton Hawai’i Bowl, 7:00 p.m. on ESPN, from Honolulu. Rainbow Warriors are 1.5 point favorites.
Friday December 26
Central Michigan (7-5) vs. Northwestern (6-6), in the GameAbove Sports Bowl, Ford Field in Detroit, 12:00 noon on ESPN. Northwestern favored by 10.5.
New Mexico (9-3) vs. Minnesota (7-5), in the Rate Bowl from Chase Field in Phoenix, 3:30 p.m. on ESPN.
Florida International (7-5) vs. UT San Antonio Roadrunners (6-6), in the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl, Gerald J. Ford Stadium in Dallas, 7:00 p.m. on ESPN. UTSA favored by 6.5, over/under is 59.5. Birds Up!
Saturday December 27
Pittsburgh (8-4) vs. East Carolina (8-4), in the Go Bowling Military Bowl from Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis, 10:00 a.m. on ESPN.
Penn State (6-6) vs. Clemson (7-5), in the Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl from Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, 11:00 a.m. on ABC.
Connecticut (9-3) vs. Army (6-6), in the Wasabi Fenway Bowl, 1:15 p.m. on ESPN from Boston. Black Knights favored by 10. Go Army!
No. 22 Georgia Tech (9-3) vs. No. 12 Brigham Young (11-2) in the Pop-Tarts Bowl from Camping World Stadium in Orlando, 2:30 p.m. on ABC. A game worth watching, actually. Brigham Young favored by 4.5.
Miami Redhawks (7-6) vs. Fresno State (8-4), in the Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl, 3:30 p.m. on The CW Network. Why this game isn’t at 4:20 local time is beyond me. Fresno State favored by 4.55, over/under is 42.5.
No. 25 North Texas (11-2) vs. San Diego State (9-3), in the Isleta New Mexico Bowl, 4:45 p.m. on ESPN. Mean Green are 3 point favorites.
No. 19 Virginia Cavaliers (10-3) vs. Missouri (8-4) in the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl, 6:30 p.m. on ABC. Tigers are favored by 4, over/under is 44.5. Go Hoos!
Louisiana State Tigers (7-5) vs. No. 21 Houston Cougars (9-3), in the Kinder’s Texas Bowl, 8:15 p.m. on ESPN from NRG Stadium in Houston. Hometown Cougars are favored by 3, over/under is 41.5.
Gratitude
“Gratitude is not a passive response to something we have been given, gratitude arises from paying attention, from being awake in the presence of everything that lives within and without and beside us. Gratitude is not necessarily something that is shown after the event, it is the deep, a-priori state of attention that shows we understand and are equal to the gifted nature of life. Gratitude is the understanding that many millions of things must come together and live together and mesh together and breathe together in order for us to take even one more breath of air…Thankfulness finds its full measure in generosity of presence, both through participation and witness.” — David Whyte, “Gratitude” from Consolations (Thanks Scott!)
Texas Men’s Basketball
The Horns are 8-4 with one more pre-conference game this coming Monday night against Maryland Eastern shore at 7:00 p.m. at The Moody Center.
Texas Women’s Basketball
Coach Vic’s women are No. 2 in the nation, 13-0, and on a roll. So far this season they have beaten No. 24 Richmond, No. 4 UCLA, No. 2 South Carolina, No. 11 North Carolina, and No. 13 Baylor. One heck of a team!
Texas Volleyball
The Longhorns’ season came to a heartbreaking end at Gregory Gym in the Regional Finals against No. 10 Wisconsin. A great season. Year-in and year-out, one of the very best teams on The Forty Acres.
Other Polls and Rankings
FWAA-NFF Super 16 Poll
This poll is jointly conducted by the Football Writers Association of America and the National Football Foundation.
ESPN’s FPI
2025 College Football Power Index – ESPN
Bill Connelly’s SP+
SP+ is a tempo- and opponent-adjusted measure of college football efficiency. SP+ is intended to be predictive and forward-facing.
Hoosiers! Then The Ohio State University, South Plains Aggies, Oregon, Georgia, Notre Dame, Ole Miss, Texas Agricultural & Mechanical, Miami (FL), Land Thieves. Texas is 16.
Kelley Ford Ratings
https://kfordratings.com/power
Music
Joe Ely, one of the greatest Texas singers and songwriters of all time, passed away on December 15. A great obit: Joe Ely Obituary December 15, 2025
Austin City Limits put together a 50 minute “Best of Joe Ely”.
His most famous song is probably The Road Goes on Forever, Robert Earl Keen’s signature song. Joe’s version:
Me and Billy the Kid, one of my favorites.
Musta Notta Gotta Lotta, live from Gruene Hall
His first band was the Flatlanders with Jimmie Dale Gilmore and Butch Hancock. If You Were a Bluebird:
Jim Nicar
1946: A view of U.T. Austin’s Battle Hall and students from the Main Building. After World War II, so many returning veterans used the GI Bill to go to college, it created a national emergency. UT’s enrollment soared from 6,800 students in the spring of 1946 to 17,100 in the fall.
From Jim’s post on X on December 13, 2025.
Picture of the Week
This photo is from JType’s December 17, 2025, post on Instagram.
On X: @tctayloratx
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Tim Taylor P.O. Box 5371 Austin, Texas 78763-5371