The competition in college football has been heating up, with a surge of promising talent entering the scene. We continue to see new faces making headlines every year, and this year, the competition is particularly stiff. But amongst all that fierceness, few teams are standing out not just because of their roster, but their management decisions and new transfers as well.
As of now, the Texas Longhorns are showing the most promise and the best two-year window. This prediction comes off the back of star quarterback Arch Manning and some tactful recruiting under coach Steve Sarkisian. Let’s take a deep dive into the projected future for the Longhorns.
Will Texas Live Up To Its Two-Year Window Predictions?
There’s a lot that goes behind projecting a team’s two-year window. We’ve compiled several factors to understand exactly where Texas stands at this point.
First up, we’re expecting sophomore QB Arch Manning to spearhead the charge going into the 2025 season. He’s shown himself to be more than capable of handling the plays and leading the team to victory on numerous occasions. His outstanding performance on the field has also warranted top-tier stats in EA Sports College Football 25. While he’s not as experienced, his talent has been speaking for itself.
Secondly, they’ve got a pretty strong front office, especially their coach. Due to some smart decisions by Steve Sarkisian, the Texas Longhorns have already lined up fresh talent for the next year as well. Not to mention his valuable insight on playmaking during games. An experienced coach helps bring everything together.
As we mentioned, Texas’s powerful lineup for the next year also makes them a top contender for the playoffs. ESPN’s Football Power Index gives them a 24.1% chance of making the playoffs and ranks them #1 to #3 for the next season. While these are only projected statistics, they do show promise from the young players.
Other Potential Contenders For The Top Spot
The Texas Longhorns might be ahead in polls, but we said the competition was neck-and-neck. Here are some other teams that could potentially beat out the Longhorns.
- Ohio State: Ohio State shows great flexibility with its QB position, especially considering they bring in fresh talent every year. They’re also expected to have some key talent return this season, such as WR Jeremiah Smith and safety Caleb Downs.
- Georgia: The Bulldogs have won two national championships since 2021, but having lost QB Carson Beck to the Miami Hurricanes, their success will rely upon either Gunner Stockton or Ryan Puglisi. However, they’ve reloaded on their defensive line to give DL Christen Miller fresh faces to work with. And Kirby Smart remains one of the best recruiters in college football.
- Penn State: Star QB Drew Allar will be getting one last run-out with Penn State as a senior, meaning the Nittany Lions will have the best QB in college right now. If you’ve played CFB 25, you’ll know how dominant Allar’s presence can be. The only question surrounding Penn State will be what life after Allar will look like. But Jim Knowles is a very good coach, so there’s no reason not to trust him.
