Arch Manning-Led Longhorns Enter 2025 as Nation’s Top-Ranked Team

Following Monday's release of the pregame Associated Press Top 25, the Texas Longhorns will start the 2025 college football season as the top-ranked team. Before the Football Bowl Subdivision season begins on August 23, this is the first and only AP poll.

The preseason coaches' poll, which came out on August 4, also put Texas at the top. This further heightened the expectations for a team that has qualified for the College Football Playoff for three consecutive years.

The Longhorns begin their season with a big game against No. 3 Ohio State, the defending national champion and the team they will face in the Cotton Bowl in 2023. The game takes place in Columbus on August 30. Five teams, including Penn State, Georgia, Clemson, and Georgia, will be in the playoffs in 2024.

Arch Manning, a redshirt junior quarterback who was a five-star recruit and will now be the full-time starter for the Longhorns, will be in charge. NFL Draft experts think Manning will be the first pick in the 2026 draft if he decides to turn pro, even though he has only played two games in college.

Texas is also returning several key players, including safeties Anthony Hill Jr. and Colin Simmons. Both were named to Athlon Sports' preseason All-America team for 2025. This demonstrates the depth and talent of Steve Sarkisian's team.

The Longhorns' 2025 schedule has two open dates and a string of big SEC games, like road trips to Florida, Kentucky, Mississippi State, and Georgia. It also includes the yearly grudge game with Oklahoma in Dallas and a T-game.

The Longhorns will face Texas A&M in Austin during the Thanksgiving weekend.

Texas 2025 Football Schedule:
Aug. 3—att Ohio State
Sept. 6—vs. San Jose State
Sept. 13—vs. UTEP
Sept. 20—Open date
Sept. 27—vs. Sam Houston
Oct. 4—at Florida
Oct. 11—vs. Oklahoma (Dallas)
Oct. 18—at Kentucky
Oct. 25—at Mississippi State
Nov. 1—vs. Vanderbilt
Nov. 8—Open date
Nov. 15—at Georgia
Nov. 22—vs. Arkansas
Nov. 28—vs. Texas A&M

As a member of the Southeastern Conference for the second year, Texas will have to live up to the high standards set before the season with Manning at quarterback and a roster full of playmakers.