What used to be automatic at Texas has become a rallying cry

Oct 10, 2015; Dallas, TX, USA; Oklahoma Sooners quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) is sacked by Texas Longhorns defensive tackle Hassan Ridgeway (98) defensive end Bryce Cottrell (91) and Naashon Hughes (40) during Red River rivalry at Cotton Bowl Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports 

Qualifying for a bowl berth, which takes just six wins to do, used to be an afterthought at Texas. Make a bowl game? Please.
That's not the case any longer, and after a 2-4 start, there's no guarantee the Longhorns will make one of the record number of bowls following the 2015 regular season. Optimism has taken an uptick, however, after last week's reaffirming victory against Oklahoma. To go bowling, Texas will have to go no worse than 4-2 in its final six games.

That's the challenge.
"Just building off of Oklahoma, just seeing the growth in the team, the confidence that we've had this past week being a bye week," senior receiver Marcus Johnson said. "Just knowing what we're capable of, the work we've put in. It's really up to us. Are we going to go out and do it or not?"
The schedule is set up about as favorably as possible for a second-half run. Of Texas's final six Big 12 opponents, only Baylor has a winning record in the conference. The Longhorns face Kansas State, Iowa State, Kansas, West Virginia, Texas Tech and finally Baylor.
The path to .500 and a bowl is there to be paved.
"Like coach Strong preaches all the time, the goal is to get the seniors to a bowl game and that's what we're going to do," junior defensive tackle Paul Boyette said. "I know I'm going to keep playing my tail off to get the seniors to a bowl game because I owe it to those guys."