Texas Gets No Love from Initial ESPN SP+ Rankings for 2025 Season
The initial ESPN SP+ rankings are out, and the Texas Longhorns are further down the list as some might have expected ahead of the 2025 season.
Sure, losing talents like star quarterback Quinn Ewers and consensus All-American cornerback Jahdae Barron create questions for the new group under head coach Steve Sarkisian.
But there is plenty to like about the Longhorns next season after making the SEC championship and finishing one game shy of an opportunity to play for a national championship.
Quarterback phenom Arch Manning will take over for Ewers after waiting his turn for two seasons. The former five-star went 2-0 as a starter last season and is expected to be among the best passers in the country as a redshirt sophomore.
However, Texas came in at No. 7 in the SP+ rankings revealed by ESPN’s Bill Connelly on Thursday. That is third-best in the SEC behind Alabama (No. 2) and Georgia (No. 4).
The Longhorns are projected to field the nation’s 28th-best offense (32.0 rating) and the best-overall defense (10.1) in 2025.
The model considers current rosters, returning production and recent history.
Texas returns tailback CJ Baxter after the former starter missed the entire 2024 season due to injury. Additionally, former five-star wide receiver Ryan Wingo will serve as one of Manning’s top weapons on the outside.
Defensively, the Longhorns return Freshman All-American EDGE Collin Simmons, along with First-Team All-American linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. and Second-Team All-American defensive back Michael Taaffe.
Sarkisian and Co. also put together the nation’s No. 1 recruiting class (247Sports) after signing the sixth-best class in 2024.
Initial top-10 rankings, per SP+
- Ohio State
- Alabama
- Penn State
- Georgia
- Notre Dame
- Oregon
- Texas
- Tennessee
- Ole Miss
- LSU
Looking ahead to Texas’ schedule, the Longhorns will have a chance to prove themselves against two of the top teams on ESPN’s list, including road matchups at Ohio State (Aug. 30) and Georgia (Nov. 15).
The season will open against the Buckeyes in Columbus, a highly-anticipated rematch from the Cotton Bowl semifinal.
