Paul Finebaum gives Texas passing midseason grade: 'It could be worse'

Texas improved to 5-2 on the season after defeating Kentucky 16-13 on the road on Saturday night. The Longhorns have now won five of their last six games and can become bowl eligible with a win next weekend at Mississippi State.

Paul Finebaum joined SportsCenter on Sunday morning to hand out midseason grades to several teams like Alabama, Georgia and even North Carolina. Texas was a part of that group, and Finebaum revealed that he’s giving out a passing grade to the Longhorns after eight weeks.

“Yes, Texas gets a passing grade, not a great passing grade, but a passing grade,” Finebaum said. “Nevertheless, I will give them a C. It could be worse. It could be better. That young man, Arch (Manning) has had a very difficult season, in case you haven’t been watching.”

Manning was a preseason favorite to win the Heisman Trophy. That hype has since tapered off and while he’s shown flashes many times throughout the season, Manning is still a first-year starting quarterback at the college level. He appears well on his way to living up to that hype in the future, and the Longhorns have largely continued to win under his signal calling.

Still, Texas’ offense was expected to be one of the high-powered units in the country during the preseason. That hasn’t been the case, either as the Longhorns haven’t put up more than 30 points against a Power Four opponent yet this season.

Despite this, the Longhorns have continued to find ways to win. After Week 1’s loss to Ohio State, Texas got through its non-conference with a 3-1 record. While they opened SEC play with a loss to Florida in the Swamp, the Longhorns impressed in the Red River Rivalry by holding Oklahoma to six points during the rivalry matchup.

Week 8’s game vs. Kentucky saw the Longhorns escape Lexington in overtime after taking advantage of the Wildcats’ scoreless first overtime period. Texas was out-gained 395 yards to 179, including being held to 47 yards on the ground. They lost the time of possession by nearly 20 minutes, yet Steve Sarkisian’s group still found a way to win.

That means Texas’ College Football Playoff hopes are still alive heading into the second half of the 2025 regular season. After Texas’ road trip to Mississippi State on Saturday, the Longhorns will have their work cut out for them during November. They’ll take on Vanderbilt (home), Georgia (away), Arkansas (home) and Texas A&M (home) to round out their regular season schedule.