No SEC slate is easy. The one Texas has this coming fall is no different. The Longhorns, conference runner-ups last season, will have a rocky road back to similar success this year as Arch Manning takes the reins.
Former Alabama quarterback and current ESPN analyst Greg McElroydissected Steve Sarkisian’s team’s 2025 calendar Tuesday on his podcast, “Always College Football.”
“This Texas schedule is very difficult,” McElroy said. “Just looking at how it all shakes out. You’re at Ohio State, brutal game. You’re at Florida, very difficult. Oklahoma’s the neutral site, you’re at Georgia, and then you have Texas A&M, who comes to you there at the end of November in the final week of the season.
“I don’t think there’s enough people talking about the difficulty of Texas’ schedule this year. Now, maybe people aren’t as bullish on Florida as I am. … I think Oklahoma will play them very hard this year based on what Oklahoma has coming back.”
The Longhorns went 13-3 last season, tying the program record for most wins in a single go-round. They beat the Sooners, Gators, and Aggies by an average of 24.3 points.
Sarkisian boosted the team to the No. 1 spot in the Associated Press poll for the first time since 2008. He’s 38-17 as Texas’ head coach and has steered the Longhorns to consecutive College Football Playoff semifinal appearances. He hasn’t yet reached the national title game, though.
The Longhorns won’t have to wait long to test their mettle, being that they open the campaign against the defending national champion Buckeyes on Aug. 30.