Texas football has high aspirations for the 2023 season. The Longhorns displayed signs of promise during the 2022 campaign and it's clear they are trending in a positive direction. With a core of young and talented players, Texas will contend this season. In fact, college football analyst RJ Young believes they have the “clearest” route to the College Football Playoff.

“They've (Texas football) got the cleanest and clearest route to the College Football Playoff,” Young said, via The Number One College Football Show.

Texas football landed a number of new key players for the season. Arch Manning stands out of course, given the legacy of his family. Manning still has QB competition though with Quinn Ewers on the roster. Manning is projected to be a college football and possibly even an NFL star someday, but he's going to need to earn his spot.

Regardless of whether Ewers or Manning starts, the Longhorns should be able to compete.

Young later detailed Texas football's potential route to reaching the College Football Playoff.

“You get to the Big 12 Championship, you win the Big 12 Championship, you're going to make the College Football Playoff for the first time in school history,” Young continued. “Steve Sarkisian knows what it takes to get there having done this at Alabama, having won national championships at USC… defensively, this is the part that is crucial, Texas feels like they can have a top 15 defense.”

Between the Longhorns' improving offense and strong defense, Texas football will certainly be a team to watch throughout the '23 campaign.