Ken Ruinard / staff, The Greenville News via Imagn Content Services, LLC

Paul Finebaum Didn't Hesitate to Name College Football Player Under the Most Pressure

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Nate Lunak | Last updated Jul 11, 2025 11:41 AM ET

During any college football season, there are always several coaches, players, and programs who are facing a significant amount of expectations to come out and perform at a high level.

That is no different in 2025, whether it's putting together a winning record, making the College Football Playoff, being national championship contenders, or competing for the Heisman Trophy.

During a Friday appearance on ESPN's "Get Up," analyst Paul Finebaum was asked which specific player he believes is under the most pressure going into next season, to which his answer was clear.

“That is Arch Manning… I don’t know what else we can say about him, but we’ll keep saying it, and unfortunately, that comes with pressure,” Finebaum said. “Everyone will be watching him against Ohio State on that first Saturday, and if he doesn’t perform, the critics will rain down.”

.@finebaum believes Arch Manning is the player under the MOST pressure this upcoming CFB season pic.twitter.com/uPS7NAKs4N
— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) July 11, 2025

It's not as though this pressure Finebaum mentioned just came out of thin air, either, because as a member of the 2023 recruiting class, On3 Industry Rankings placed him as a five-star recruit and the No. 1 player in the nation.

That means Manning has been waiting in the wings for the Texas Longhorns for two seasons as he sat behind Quinn Ewers, letting him get a better understanding of the offense and the playing speed of college football.

Finebaum is also far from the only person or entity who believes Manning should perform at a high level this season, either, as ESPN BET even gives him the best odds (+600) of winning the Heisman Trophy.

He and Texas certainly have their work cut out early on as well, going up against the reigning national championship-winning Buckeyes, who last season ranked No. 1 in both points per game allowed (12.9) and total yards per game (254.6).

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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