One thing was proven last season with the new playoff format. You don’t have to have the best record or even win your conference to secure a football national championship. Ohio State didn’t even make the Big Ten championship contest and still took home the hardware.
However, football fans at the top-rated sportsbooks still prefer the best squad in the conference. Let’s not forget that 85 percent of Buckeyes fans wanted Ryan Day fired immediately after the upset by Michigan. They later settled down after taking home the natty.
Texas is not only a +250 favorite at Bet365 (check our Bet365 Review) to win the SEC, but the overall favorite to win it all at +450. Should the Longhorns be favored to win the SEC before the season? Yes. They have made two consecutive Final Four appearances. Talent-wise, it’s hard to make a case who has better players than Texas, and few have many negative words to say about head coach Steve Sarkisian.
So, how do the Horns come up short? Let’s explain. Remember, having the best record in the regular season only allows a team to play for the conference title; you have to win the conference championship tilt to take home that trophy.
Can Texas Rebuild Its Offensive Line Around Arch Manning?
Last season, Texas was #71 in rushing the ball. Against tougher competition, Sarkisian always tried to establish running the pigskin. However, if he deemed the results unsatisfactory, Sark wouldn’t be stubborn and instead blended the short, medium, and deep passing game.
The Longhorns have four new starters on the offensive line. This doesn’t mean they won’t gel at some point in the season. Preseason ratings from credible sources have the Horns’ offensive line ranked from #4 to #8 in the SEC, which is good.
One aspect that could work out for Sark is that four of the new starters worked with new starting quarterback Arch Manning on the Texas second team a year ago. Still, the SEC is hardly a league you want to find your way to construct an O-Line, with as many talented defensive linemen as you will face.
Is Arch Manning Ready to Lead Under Pressure in Austin?
Since arriving in Austin, Manning has waited for his moment in an old-school way, knowing it would come. Sarkisian demands a great deal from his starting QBs, but the offense is designed to make the quarterback the star.
Manning appears to have all the right qualities and definitely has the pedigree. Yet, what happens if the offensive line doesn’t come together and Manning, who is a very good athlete, is forced to scramble more or lacks time in the pocket to throw? Will he have the proper poise with his limited experience to overcome obstacles placed before him? This is still unknown.
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Road Tests That Could Define Texas’ 2025 Season
There are three games on the 2025 schedule that stand out, and as you might expect, they are all on the road.
The first contest is the season-opener at Columbus against Ohio State, who knocked them out 28-14 in the CFP semifinals. Both the Horns and Buckeyes are vastly different from a year ago. In the big picture, this game won’t have implications until possibly at the end of the season. Nonetheless, neither outfit wants a 0-1 record.
Trip to Florida (10/4) and Georgia (11/15) has deeper implications. The Gators have the offensive talent to pull an upset. The Bulldogs, on the other hand, are close to Texas in overall talent and, like the Horns, are loaded with experience and big expectations.
What Could Derail Texas’ SEC Title Hopes in 2025?
The thought here is that the worst record Texas will have playing in the SEC championship is 10-2. If they faced Georgia, Alabama, or LSU, any one of them could prevent the Longhorns from winning a title, with the football players they have and the coaches they would be going up against.
One aspect nobody can predict is injuries, which could derail any team’s season. However, before the season, we explained what could work against Texas to win the SEC, and this would be the blueprint for them to come up short.
Keep all of this in mind before placing your bets for the upcoming season.
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*The line and/or odds referenced in this article might have changed since the content was published. For the latest information on line movements, visit OddsTrader’s free betting odds tool.
