When you say the phrase “College Football Playoff” down in Waco, Texas, Baylor fans still get a misty look in their eyes. It turns back the clock to Dec. 7, 2014, when the four-team College Football Playoff debuted with its first ever mega controversy.
In the season’s penultimate week, TCU ranked No. 3 in the nation, while Baylor sat at No. 6. The Bears pulled off a strong 38-27 win over No. 9 Kansas State in front of ESPN’s College GameDay, which felt like the final case for Baylor to jump into the top-four and earn a playoff berth.
It was enough to jump TCU, which fell from No. 3 to No. 6. It was not enough to jump an Ohio State team with a similar record whose best win and worst loss were both notably worse than the Bears. And so on that day, it became clear – this playoff system was not long for this world.
While that was the most visible snub of the post-playoff era, it’s far from the only moment that a Texan team has been close. Texas A&M finished fifth in the 2020 playoff rankings, one spot out. Houston was relegated to No. 18 after a tremendous 12-1 season in 2015. Baylor lost quarterback Charlie Brewer in the Big 12 Championship Game in 2019 and finished just outside the playoff.