Three Things: Past, Present, & Future
One third of the way through the season, Texas is still searching for its offensive identity. Photo: Burnt Orange Nation
1. A Note on Sam Houston
It’s been nearly two weeks since the Longhorns dominated the Sam Houston State Bearkats 55-0. Yes, the opponent was low quality. That doesn’t take away from the good things we saw, namely on the offensive side for Texas. Arch Manning looked more confident, throwing on time and more accurately. He also was more consistent at every level - hitting short throws, layering the ball in the mid-range, and hitting a beautiful deep ball to Ryan Wingo for a touchdown. These are not things that we saw as consistently through the first three games, and hopefully it’s a sign of progression and things to come for the Horns’ signal caller. Oh, and a shout out to backup QB Matthew Caldwell for his 50-yard run in the 4th quarter, the longest of the season for Texas.
Defensively, it was business as usual. Another stifling effort from that unit led to its first shutout of the year, holding Sam Houston to a measly 113 total yards and 7 first downs, with one turnover and two turnovers on downs forced. This was a game where the Longhorns should have completely taken care of business, and they did. It’s worth noting because that’s not what happened in the three games prior. Non-conference slate done, and onward we go.
The Texas offense has struggled for large stretches of the season, namely in the road loss to Ohio State. Photo: Charlie Partheymuller, The Daily Texan
2. What Do We Know?
So, we are now one-third of the way through the 2025 season. What do we actually know about this iteration of the Texas Longhorns? They have yet to play an SEC conference game up to this point (the last team remaining without one). Well, we do know that in the one game we have seen against a power 4 opponent, Texas hung within a score of the team that still sits atop everyone’s rankings, and has continued to display dominance defensively and an efficient offense. That road test was huge for the Longhorns, despite the loss, because now they will face a 4-game stretch away from home to open conference play (the latest weird scheduling quirk for the Horns this season). They’ll have to lean on that experience through this stretch, and we’ll have to see if Arch Manning fares any better than he did in Columbus, where he was completely ineffective for large stretches of the game. That offensive inconsistency remained for each of the next two games, and not until Sam Houston did we see things humming for Texas. So, we’ve learned that Arch - and the offense - are capable of putting it together and have flashed the potential to create big plays and go on sustained drives. Putting the potential into practice on a consistent basis throughout the SEC schedule will be the key to the Longhorns’ fate.
We also know that the Texas defense is a championship caliber unit once again. They have not lost a step from last year’s group, and might be even better. This defense looks like one of the best in all of college football, and they will be needed badly if the Horns are to survive the SEC slate. We should be confident in knowing that with this defense, Texas will be in any game. And it’s very possible they will outright win games for the Longhorns in 2025. Defense wins championships!
Both of the Longhorns’ #16s (QB Arch Manning, and DB Michael Taaffe) will be crucial to the success of the 2025 season for Texas. Photo: Burnt Orange Nation
3. What We Need to Find Out
This week, Texas opens SEC conference play by going on the road to Gainesville, FL to face the Florida Gators. This is a Gators team that has been reeling, and the matchup looks much different than it might have at the beginning of the season. But more on that later. This is the first of 8 SEC games for the Longhorns - it’s still a long season to go and there is much to find out about this group. Do we have what it takes to compete for an SEC title this season? A playoff berth? More than that? All of this is still in question as Texas embarks on its 2025 conference schedule. With the uncertainties on offense, the Horns may find themselves in several tight games. Execution in the crucial moments will be critical - third downs, fourth downs, red zone, 4th quarter. Does this group, and this coaching staff, have what it takes to carry out the game plan and execute in those moments? The answer to that will heavily dictate whether the Longhorns find success and can achieve their long term goals for the season.
Another uncertain factor looms for this season - how good are Texas’ remaining opponents? Last year, the Horns went 7-1 in SEC play, suffering only a single loss to Georgia at home. This year it’s the same 8 teams on the schedule, but several of the opponents look stronger. Texas A&M and Oklahoma find themselves ranked in the top 5 as of now. Vanderbilt is undefeated. Mississippi State looks much improved. And there’s the road trip to Athens. Getting through this year’s slate with only one loss would be a huge win in my opinion. And if Texas were to suffer two conference losses, where would that leave the Horns in the playoff picture? Many have written off the Longhorns as a legitimate SEC championship contender after the early struggles and the emergence of several other teams in the conference. Certainly a loss to Florida would prove those doubters correct, and it’s why it’ll be a must win game. But there is also a path to improvement for the offense, and if the defense holds up, I believe Texas can still go 10-2 and hold its destiny for an SEC title and beyond. The future is in our hands! We just have to go and take it.
Hook ‘em
