The Longhorns are the ninth-ranked team in the projections and are being predicted to finish with a record of 9-3. Two SEC teams — Georgia and Alabama — are ranked ahead of Texas, and the Longhorns are only being given a 64 percent chance of making the College Football Playoff.

Texas ranks 103rd in terms of returning production, with just 29 percent of its offensive players back on the roster. As a result, the team sits at 126th for returning offensive production, which highlights the inexperience Finebaum is referring to.

From Ohio State’s Jeremiah Smith to Texas’s Colin Simmons, here are our first- and second-team selections who should have major impacts in 2025.

One of the Texas Longhorns opponents this season has named a starting QB. UTEP will go with Malachi Nelson under center.

Texas at Risk of Losing Nation's No. 1 DL as Three Historic College Football Programs Push for Flip originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Texas Longhorns put together the No. 1 recruiting class in college football in the 2025 cycle, and are looking to do so again in 2026.

ESPN’s Mark Schlabach believes Sarkisian will reach the National Championship Game and beat the Clemson Tigers for its first title since 2005.

Five of the six national champions from the 2018-23 seasons went undefeated, marking an era filled with dominant teams. Last year’s debut of the 12-team College Football Playoff featured a two-loss Ohio State team as national champion, which could signal that being a dominant champion is now more difficult.

It is true that most teams that landed in the preseason AP Top 25 have plenty of reason for optimism. They were good enough to get ranked after all and, in the 12-team era, that puts a program squarely in the race for the College Football Playoff.