It's Manning's season to shine: The Texas Longhorns are No. 1 behind prodigy QB

AUSTIN, Texas — The big expectations at Texas keep growing, and the path is there for the Longhorns to do something special this season. Texas starts the season ranked No. 1 for the first time in program history and a betting favorite to win the national championship. Arch Manning takes over at quarterback and is just about everyone's early favorite for the Heisman Trophy. The Longhorns open with a bang at No. 3 Ohio State, a game between SEC and Big Ten powerhouses that could reverberate all the way to the postseason in December. Of course, none of this will be easy. Texas is hardly the runaway No. 1 choice and there are slivers of doubt they really belong on top. The Longhorns barely edged No. 2 Penn State for the top spot in the preseason rankings. They must navigate a rough SEC schedule and replace 12 players who were drafted after last season's run the College Football Playoff semifinals. "It's irrelevant to the way the season is going to go. It's irrelevant to the way we're going to play. It's irrelevant to how our opponents are going to play," Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said of the No. 1 ranking. "Maybe it puts a little bigger bullseye on us for our opponents, but the reality is we have to go do it." The Longhorns haven't won the national championship since 2005. Manning's moment College football has been waiting for this: the latest prodigy from football's famous quarterback family is finally ready for prime time. Manning is now the guy in Austin and no longer just the promising backup who has teased Texas with flashes of brilliance when pressed into duty because of injuries or used in on situation-specific plays to keep defenses off-balance. He shoulders enormous expectations borne from his name, the Heisman chatter and NFL draft projections, whenever he turns pro. Perhaps no player is cashing in on the name, image and likeness era of college athletics more than Manning. According to On3, which track's college NIL deals, Manning ranks No. 1 in college football at $6.8 million, including contracts with the likes of Red Bull, Uber and Vuori. Long gone is the kid who twice lost his school-issued ID during his freshman year. Now a 6-foot-4 sophomore, Manning carries a cool confidence on and off the field and seems ready to shine. "I'm not really sure how they got these opinions because I've only played in, what? Two games?" Manning said. "I guess it's nice of them to say, but it doesn't mean anything. Talk is cheap. I've got to go prove it." Rebuilt offensive line Manning will play behind a rebuilt offensive line that will have four new starters replacing standouts who are now in the NFL. Right guard D.J. Campbell is the only returning regular starter. Left tackle Trevor Goosby will face the most scrutiny as he takes over for All-American Kelvin Banks to protect Manning's blind side. And overall depth took a blow when right tackle Andre Cojoe was lost for the season with a training camp knee injury. Defensive pressure The Longhorns must rebuild the interior of their defensive line. But they have plenty of speed and power on the edges to punish opposing quarterbacks. Defensive end Colin Simmons had nine sacks as a freshman. Senior Trey Moore had 6.5. All-everything linebacker Anthony Hill, who might be the best sideline-to-sideline defender in the country, had eight. Rushing around Quintrevion Wisner is the SEC's top returning rusher after posting 1,064 yards and five touchdowns last season. He also was the team's third leading receiver with 44 catches, making him a versatile weapon. Texas boasts some serious depth in the backfield. C.J. Baxter in 2023 was the first Longhorn freshman tailback to start a season opener in since Ricky Williams in 1995. But he missed last season with a knee injury. The schedule The Longhorns open with that blockbuster matchup at Ohio State on Aug. 30. They spend the entire month of October away from home. The SEC opener is Oct. 4 at No. 15 Florida, before the annual rivalry with No. 18 Oklahoma in Dallas a week later. The November slate includes a trip to No. 5 Georgia (Nov. 15) before Texas closes out the regular season at home against old rivals Arkansas (Nov. 22) and No. 19 Texas A&M (Nov. 28). The Aggies pay their first visit to Austin since 2012.