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AUSTIN, TEXAS – NOVEMBER 28: Arch Manning #16 of the Texas Longhorns fires Smokey the Cannon after beating the Texas A&M Aggies 27-17 at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on November 28, 2025 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Alex Slitz\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n
Getty Images<\/p>\n
Being a fan of the University of Texas\u2019 football program has been one full of trials and tribulations. <\/p>\n
Despite representing the unofficial football state and being one of the biggest programs in college football, success has not been consistent for the boys in burnt orange. <\/p>\n
Expectations are always high due to these factors, yet it has been 20 years<\/a> since Texas won the National Championship. <\/p>\n Those expectations were never higher than the 2025 preseason, which the Longhorns can attest they did come up short on. <\/p>\n However, a revitalization of their offense has potentially revitalized a chance to end this 20-year drought.<\/p>\n But, will it be too little, too late? <\/p>\n Whether former Longhorn quarterback Sam Ehlinger regrets his infamous claim<\/a> in 2018, that is now consistently shared whenever Texas loses a big game, his claim that \u201cTexas is back\u201d was never more true than ahead of this season. <\/p>\n For the first time in program history<\/a>, Texas entered the year as the top overall seed in the AP Preseason Poll.<\/p>\n This came following a 13-3 overall record and 7-1 conference record in their first season<\/a> in the SEC. <\/p>\n After ending their season in the second round of the College Football Playoffs, all eyes looked to an improved product in 2025. <\/p>\n Texas had another offseason finishing within the top recruiting teams in the nation, and held onto key components of 2024 like running back Tre Wisner and edge rusher Colin Simmons. <\/p>\n But the key to 2025 was at the quarterback position. <\/p>\n After seeing him shine in parts of 2024, the sky was the limit for Arch Manning entering his first year as the Longhorn starter.<\/p>\n The Junior\u2019s role under center not only gave Texas the top spot in the preseason poll, but also put Manning in the preseason conversations for the Heisman.<\/p>\n Both of those preseason proclamations took a hit in Week One, as Texas started the year with a loss.<\/p>\n COLUMBUS, OHIO – AUGUST 30: Arch Manning #16 of the Texas Longhorns leaves the field after a 14-7 loss to the Ohio State Buckeyes at Ohio Stadium on August 30, 2025 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Gregory Shamus\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n Getty Images<\/p>\n Seeking to challenge themselves out of the gate, Texas walked into Ohio State<\/a> to start the year. <\/p>\n Manning certainly did not light it up in his season debut, only throwing for 170 yards on a 56.7% completion percentage. <\/p>\n This 14-7 win for Ohio State showed more about the defending champion\u2019s ability to repeat instead of Texas potentially being overrated.<\/p>\n Manning would have the next three games to accumulate Heisman statistics against mid-major opponents. <\/p>\n While the scoreboard properly reflects the skill gap between Texas and these opponents, Manning<\/a> still failed to look like he did the previous year. <\/p>\n So, with Texas starting their conference schedule in the Swamp against Florida, Steve Sarkisian\u2019s lack of offensive execution came to hurt the Longhorns\u2019 playcaller. <\/p>\n In the first game, Texas allowed more than 14 points, and Florida pulled off the upset over Texas, 21-29<\/a>. Manning threw 2 touchdowns with 2 interceptions, but the lack of a running game was the difference against the Gators. <\/p>\n This was the first significant blow to Texas\u2019s playoff hopes, as the loss to unranked Florida caused Texas to drop outside of the top-25.<\/p>\n With no time to sulk, Texas then traveled to a neutral site to take on #6-ranked Oklahoma, which became the first revitalization attempt of their season. <\/p>\n Texas dominated their former Big-12 foe, outscoring the Sooners 20-0 in the second half to win 23-6<\/a>. With an emphasis on running the ball, Texas totaled 128 yards on the ground between Manning and Wisner, with the dagger in the game being a 75-yard punt return touchdown for Ryan Niblett. <\/p>\n This put Texas back in the top-25, and kept them ranked 20th or higher for the next two weeks as they struggled to defeat Kentucky and Mississippi State. <\/p>\n Their next test was #9-ranked Vanderbilt at home, where the offense seemed to finally take its final form. <\/p>\n The Longhorns improved to 7-2 on the year with the 34-31<\/a> victory, despite Vanderbilt ending the game on a 21-0 run in the fourth quarter. <\/p>\n Manning had a career day, throwing for 328 yards and three touchdowns. <\/p>\n While the offense seemed to be taking form, the defense was amid some troubling concerns, which would be exploited in their next game. <\/p>\n