Dec 21, 2024; Austin, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns wide receiver Ryan Wingo (5) and running back Jaydon Blue (23) and quarterback Arch Manning (16) and wide receiver Matthew Golden (2) huddle with the team during the game between the Texas Longhorns and the Clemson Tigers in the CFP National Playoff First Round at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

USA Today Favors Texas Longhorns in SEC Projections

Originally posted on Texas Longhorns on SI
By Payton Blalock | Last updated Aug 25, 2025 1:52 PM ET

With college football less than a week away, USA Today has released their predictions for the final records and conference standings of each of the 136 FBS teams.

In the SEC, which is widely considered the most consistently talent-rich conferences in the nation, USA Today anticipates that the Texas Longhorns will claim the No. 1 spot.

They take on the Ohio State Buckeyes this upcoming Saturday in Columbus, Ohio, which will prove as an immediate way to test their worthiness of this No. 1 spot.

Kyle Robertson/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Texas Longhorns predicted record

USA Today expects Texas to finish the regular season at 11-1, with a conference record of 7-1. While they don’t specify who will present the Longhorns their singular loss, possible options are SEC opponents like Florida, Oklahoma, Georgia or Texas A&M.

A key aspect of the record is that they are expected to finish their nonconference record undefeated, which means that the USA Today reporters who assembled this list believe that they will take down the Buckeyes on the road in Week 1.

Given that the Longhorns and the Buckeyes hold the No. 1 and 3 respective positions on the AP college football preseason poll, this matchup should be a good way of gauging where each team needs to improve to maintain high status throughout 2025. The Buckeyes earned the No. 2 spot in the Big 10 on USA Today’s list of predictions, with the Penn State Nittany Lions claiming the No. 1 position.

USA Today’s SEC predictions

As previously mentioned, the list predicts Texas to win their conference this upcoming season. However, the teams that follow them in the rankings cannot be overlooked.

Georgia, Alabama, LSU and Oklahoma make up the rest of the conference’s top five, with Tennessee, Texas A&M and Florida rounding out the top half. The Longhorns will take on Georgia, Oklahoma, Texas A&M and Florida during SEC play.

The Bulldogs have caused consistent problems for Texas since their arrival in the SEC last year, making this year’s matchup in Athens, Georgia, a potential turning point for the Longhorns.

They won’t face Alabama during the regular season, but this year’s Crimson Tide team is one worth looking out for. With second-year head coach Kalen DeBoer at the helm and a strong group of returners, this team has the potential to become a major threat this season.

It’s still early, but with Week 1 on the horizon, it will be interesting to see how some of these top-ranked teams establish themselves throughout the weekly tests ahead.

This article first appeared on Texas Longhorns on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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