ESPN Insiders debate whether Texas can win the SEC in first season of Arch Manning era

Texas is entering this season as one of the favorites, if not the favorite for some, in the Southeastern Conference. However, with the depth of that league, the Longhorns are among several teams in the conference who expect to compete for both the SEC Championship and for a national title in the College Football Playoff.

On ‘Get Up’ this morning, Paul Finebaum and Heather Dinich, with differing opinions, discussed if Texas, led by Steve Sarkisian and now by their new quarterback in Arch Manning, would win the SEC in 2025. Finebaum, who showed this week that he’s as much of a believer in Manning as anyone, answered yes that the Longhorns would in what’s year two for them in the Southeastern Conference.

“Oh, yes I am (convinced), but thanks for asking me anyway,” Finebaum said. “I think Arch is prepared. And I think the thing that people need to remember? He has sat around, waiting for his opportunity, should have come earlier. But, in today’s world of college football, nobody does that except one of the Mannings. So he’s prepared, he’s smart. I think he’s ready to lead and it all begins in week one when they go up to Ohio State.”

Texas, being 25-5 (.833) the past two years with consecutive appearances in conference title games and the playoff, is an obvious contender for this fall from down on The 40 Acres. Manning, coming off ten appearances with a pair of starts as a redshirt freshman backup last year, heads that hype, especially with him leading what’s a fairly new offense that’ll be alongside returners from one of the nation’s top defenses a year ago.

However, considering what all else there is in the SEC, Dinich thinks another team is just as likely to win it as Texas is. Preseason picks and projections for next season have Alabama, Georgia, and LSU among others in the league who could be in Atlanta as well as have a berth in the CFP. As for Dinich, she favored the other fifteen teams in the conference, namely the ‘Dawgs, who beat the Longhorns twice last year in the regular season and in the SEC Championship, as far as next year in the Southeastern Conference.

“I think Paul is going to need me to hold Kirby Smart back later this month when we get to SEC Media Days. I’ll provide a little protection for him. Let’s not forget about Georgia, which is 53-5 over the past four years. I’ve got some faith in Gunner Stockton,” said Dinich. “(Georgia) can absolutely win the SEC. LSU can win the SEC. But, I’ve got my eyes on Georgia as a strong contender for Texas. And I think that it certainly, if you ask if it’s Texas or the field? I’ve got the field in the SEC. This is going to be real tough race.”

There’s no doubt that there will be storylines across this conference as they all play for two spots in the SEC Championship and what seeds they can in the CFP. It remains to be seen, though, how far ahead that Texas could be as compared to everyone else in the SEC.