Paul Finebaum Reveals How He Thinks Texas Will Perform In Year 1 of the Arch Manning Era

"I would go with 11-1," Finebaum said. "I'm sure you are curious which one of the games Texas would lose. I think there are a couple of possibilities: at Florida, clearly at Georgia, I think, one of those two could be a possibility. It's a tricky schedule. I think Georgia and Florida are the two toughest games. I think Oklahoma could be pretty close after that."

Finebaum said he is aware that Texas opens the season against the defending national champion, the Ohio State Buckeyes. However, he strongly believes that the Longhorns will defeat the Buckeyes in that game.

Many national pundits seem optimistic about Texas this season. However, there are several uncertainties regarding the Longhorns. The team is facing significant roster turnover as they enter the season, having lost a considerable amount of production from the previous year. Texas ranks No. 103 in returning production, with only 29 percent of its offensive players returning, which places them at No. 126 in terms of offensive production returning.

Quinn Ewers, who was the starting quarterback for the past three years, has transitioned to the NFL. Additionally, the Longhorns have lost four of their top six receivers, their second-leading rusher, and four of the five starting offensive linemen. Despite these challenges, Texas has had great success in recruiting and has secured the top recruiting class in the nation for 2025, according to 247Sports.

Manning’s first start of the 2025 season will be on the road against the Buckeyes. This matchup is a rematch of the College Football Playoff semifinal and is scheduled for August 30 at noon ET.