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Former Texas running back Ricky Williams sat down with Paul Finebaum this week to talk about the Longhorns’ CFP chances ahead of a matchup versus Washington.
He’s excited about where the program is headed, though he does have hesitation about crowning his alma mater national champs just yet.
Williams was a star in Austin, rushing for 6,279 yards and 72 touchdowns during his four-year college career. As a senior, he won the Heisman trophy before becoming the Saints’ top pick in the 1999 NFL Draft.
While the Longhorns were successful throughout that stint, posting a 31-17-1 overall record, it would take a few years for Texas to blossom into a national title contender under head coach Mack Brown.
Between 2001 and 2009, UT ripped off nine consecutive 10-win seasons. That included a pair of Big XII titles and a national championship in 2005.
Since, they’ve been looking to get their mojo back.
They finally appear to have things on track under Steve Sarkisian, and Williams has taken note.
“We are back,” the running back said after Texas made the four-team CFP field.
Great catching up with legendary Longhorn and Heisman winner Ricky Williams, who offered his thoughts on “Texas is Back” and the move to the SEC pic.twitter.com/rZBokPWV0C
— Paul Finebaum (@finebaum) December 18, 2023
“We’ve been plagued by this idea, ‘Are we back yet, are we back yet?’ We’ve been close, but I think making it to the College Football Playoff this year has proven that we are back.”
Ricky Williams weary of Texas’s CFP opponent
While the All-American does like the trajectory of where the program is headed, he took some time to focus on the Longhorns’ upcoming foe.
In fact, he likened the Huskies to a Texas team of the past.
That 2005 national championship winning squad was led by quarterback Vince Young, who just missed out on a Heisman trophy. He’d finish second in the voting behind USC’s Reggie Bush.
Williams believes Young was motivated by that Heisman snub in a 41-38 title game win over the Trojans, throwing for 267 yards and rushing for 200 more. He scored the winning touchdown on a fourth-down play in the game’s final moments.
@bestcfbmomentz One of the most iconic plays in history🔥 #collegefootball #bestmoments #ReTokforNature #texas #cfb #football #kickoff ♬ original sound – CFBMemories
Ricky Williams could see a similar situation playing out in 2023.
Washington signal caller Michael Penix finished runner-up in the Heisman voting to Jayden Daniels after leading the nation in passing and guiding the Huskies to a perfect 13-0 record.
Do Penix and the PAC 12 champs have something to prove against Texas?
Could the Heisman decision end up affecting the national title chase? Ricky Williams thinks Michael Penix could experience a “Vince Young Effect” in this year’s CFP: pic.twitter.com/9kvZjfybzn
— Paul Finebaum (@finebaum) December 18, 2023
“I was sitting there watching the look on Michael Penix’s face when Jayden Daniels was announced the Heisman trophy winner, and I got kind of nervous,” Williams said.
“He’s going to be playing for something. That Washington offense is explosive. Everyone’s seen them compete and beat a great Oregon team twice this year. Texas is going to have their work cut out for them, but if they can keep playing the way they’ve been playing, I think they’ll be fine.”
The opening round of the College Football Playoff should provide excitement for viewers, though it will cost those that want to watch in person.
Texas opened as slight 3.5-point favorite over Washington. The winner will face either Alabama or Michigan for a chance to be crowned national champions.