College Football Analyst Predicts Texas Longhorns' Record

It's officially prediction season in the college football world. Fans and analysts are chomping at the bit, waiting for their beloved sport and their annual Saturday traditions to return.

For many Texas Longhorns fans, this upcoming season will be the one that returns them to their rightful place, holding up that national championship trophy at the end of the season. In a gauntlet of an SEC schedule, though, even getting to the college football playoffs, for the third year in a row, won't be a cake walk.

Many have started their predictions of the Longhorns' schedule, trying to dissect what Arch Manning will do for the offense this year. J.D. Pickell, an On3 analyst, gave his full prediction for how Steve Sarkisian's regular-season record will finish.

A Loss To a Rival

Pickell predicts the Texas Longhorns will finish the regular season with an 11-1 record, with their sole loss coming to their rivals, the Oklahoma Sooners, in the annual Red River Rivalry.

With the only loss he accounts for being the Sooners, that means the On3 expert predicts Steve Sarkisian's team will take care of business on the road against Ohio State, Florida, and Georgia, their three most challenging road games on the 2025 schedule.

His reasoning for the record prediction is that Pickell believes Steve Sarkisian has a good offense, as evidenced by the lack of transfer portal additions on that side of the ball. He also says:

"Texas will have the best defense in the country, their are names that aren't clocking with people that will clock during the season. Why? Because Sark has proved that he is a builder... There will not be any drop off on that side [defense] of the ball. "

All Eyes on Arch Manning

While everyone gives Arch lofty expectations going into the season, Pickell is not one of them.

"If Texas is going to make good on what Vegas thinks they are capable of doing, which is winning the national championship, Arch does not need to be the guy, from week one game one."

J.D. expands on that, saying he needs steady progress. For Texas fans, this might be hard to bear, but it is reasonable. Arch doesn't need to come out of the gates hot, but needs to build a confidence level that allows him to grow into the player that the coaching staff, and fans expect him to be.

When it comes to playoff time, and all twelve teams are loaded with talent, the same way the Texas Longhorns are, that's when the steady increase that Arch has shown all season will come into play. For Manning, the playoffs are where he will shine, but for the regular season, an 11-1 record, with the talent surrounding him, is definitely on the table.