Four Texas Longhorns Ranked Amongst Best College Football Duos

Two Texas football duos were named as partnerships to watch out for ahead of the 2025 season.

Dec 21, 2024; Austin, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning (16) against the Clemson Tigers during the CFP National playoff first round at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Texas Longhorns quarterback and wide receiver duo Arch Manning and Ryan Wingo were among 14 College Football Duos ranked by Bleacher Report in a list released on March 11. A familiar duo topped the list.

Manning and Wingo ranked 13, just above Ohio State duo safety Caleb Downs and cornerback Jermaine Matthews Jr. in No. 14. B/R credited Wingo's performance against Downs and Matthews' teammates Jeremiah Smith and Ryan Williams as a key point in his campaign.

Wingo already had a solid season in his sophomore year, but with Matthew Golden and Quinn Ewers gone, Wingo and Manning are expected to step up.

Texas Longhorns wide receiver Ryan Wingo (5) fights for yardage against Clemson Tigers linebacker Wade Woodaz (17) in the first half of an NCAA College Football Playoffs first round game at Darrell K Royal Texas Memorial Stadium, Austin, Texas, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. | Ricardo B. Brazziell/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

"Everybody is ready to see the redshirt sophomore with a larger sample set, and this will be his team on the offensive side of the ball," Bleacher Report wrote. "With weapons all around him, expect him to thrive. But Wingo may be the biggest star of them all. He showed flashes a season ago, and if there's one duo that has higher-ceiling ability than its ranking here, it's this tandem. Expect big things and plenty of touchdowns."

And while Ohio State's Smith made it to the top-2 alongside Carnell Tate, a Longhorn duo led the list. Linebackers Colin Simmons and Anthony Hill Jr. were already leaders in 2024, but 2025 could be even greater.

The duo combined for 151 tackles, 84 solo, 16.5 sacks, two interceptions and seven forced fumbles to dominate the Longhorn defense.

As a sophomore, Hill earned the SEC Co-Defensive Player of the Week on Oct. 14, following the Oklahoma matchup. As a freshman, he shared the 2023 Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year honors.

Freshman Simmons received the Shawn Alexander Freshman of the Year recipient and appeared in all 15 games for Texas. He joined the top-three list of all time tackles by a freshman at Texas, with a team-high of nine.

These duos will kick off the 2025 season against no other than Ohio State in Columbus on Aug. 31.

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