AUSTIN, Texas — Excitement is surging among Texas Longhorns fans as the football program prepares for its most anticipated season since the 2005 national championship run.
The University of Texas not only leads the nation as the most valuable athletic program, according to the Athletic, but the Longhorns also lay claim to college football’s most important player - - quarterback Arch Manning - - according to ESPN.
ESPN’s Billy Connelly recently unveiled his list of “The 40 most important players in college football in 2025” and placed Manning at the very top. “I usually count down to No. 1 in this piece in an attempt to build some sort of suspense, but there’s no point in making you wade through 39 other names first when you know who’s going to be No. 1,” Connelly wrote. “The top quarterback prospect in the 2023 recruiting class, Manning attempted 108 dropbacks while backing up or filling in for Quinn Ewers the past two seasons. And now he enters 2025 as the Heisman betting favorite (+600), leading a team that is the national title co-favorite (+550) and the likely preseason No. 1 team.”
Since announcing his commitment to Texas, Manning has faced a spotlight that only intensified with each passing year. “For two years, we’ve looked at 2025 as The Year Of Arch, and now we get to find out if he’s up for the challenge,” Connelly added.
Manning won’t have to wait long for the test. The Longhorns open their 2025 campaign on August 30 in Columbus, Ohio, against Ohio State, the projected No. 1 seed, according to the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll. The matchup is already shaping up to be a No. 1 vs. No. 2 showdown, with the Associated Press poll due for release next week.
After years of preparation under the watchful eyes of his storied football family, expectations are sky-high for Arch Manning and the Texas Longhorns. “No pressure, dude.”