Paul Finebaum Is Back At It With His Bold Texas Longhorns Predictions

After Indiana stunned the college football world Monday with a remarkable turnaround that ended in a national championship, attention has already shifted toward next season.

Following an impressive haul in the transfer portal, Texas is once again generating the kind of national hype it carried into last offseason. Yet, the question remains: Will that hype finally amount to a national championship appearance?

Paul Finebaum certainly thinks so.

Paul Finebaum picks Ohio State and Texas as early 2026 favorites

Paul Finebaum, radio and ESPN television personality, gets ready to speak on television near activities outside the Superdome, before of the College Football Playoff National Championship game in New Orleans Monday, January 13, 2020 | Ken Ruinard / staff, The Greenville News via Imagn Content Services, LLC

Although Texas will not open its season for another eight months, when Texas State visits DKR on Sept. 5, early projections are already placing the Longhorns among the nation's elite, including the aforementioned Finebaum.

Speaking on SportsCenter, Finebaum offered his way-too-early prediction for the 2026 season.

“I think you have to start with Texas. I know we started with Texas this year, but Arch Manning is much better, and he’ll have a much more significant role because of some of the compliments they have gotten in the portal,” Finebaum said.

The television personality also mentioned Ohio State as his second favorite.

“I am still baffled at what happened to Ohio State, because they had the best roster in college football, but they simply couldn’t get it done. So that’s where we began this year. That’s where I think we’re going to begin in late August, when the season begins.”

Can Texas finally translate the hype into a deep playoff run?

Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning (16) looks on after a game against the Georgia Bulldogs at Sanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Finebaum is far from alone in his prediction. Several national outlets have placed Texas inside their preseason top five, a familiar position for a program accustomed to lofty expectations.

Last season, however, Texas fell way short of those expectations.

Texas opened the 2025 campaign ranked No. 1 in the preseason AP Poll but saw its playoff hopes take a major hit after an early October loss to unranked Florida. Although the Longhorns rebounded later in the season with four wins over ranked opponents (including a statement victory over rival and then No. 3 Texas A&M), the late surge and ruthless campaigning were not enough to secure a third consecutive College Football Playoff appearance.

This season, however, feels different.

With Arch Manning entering his redshirt sophomore year, Texas has added a reliable weapon in star wide receiver Cam Coleman through the portal. The offense has also been bolstered by the additions of running backs Hollywood Smothers and Raleek Brown, along with offensive linemen Jonte Newman, Dylan Sikorski and Melvin Siani.

Defensively, the Longhorns return several key contributors from a unit that ranked among the nation’s best, alongside several notable portal additions, including defensive lineman Ian Geffrard and defensive lineman Rasheem Biles.

With Manning once again expected to appear on Heisman watch lists and Texas’ aggressive approach in the portal, expectations in Austin are once again soaring.

The challenge now is proving that this season’s promise can deliver what last year’s hype could not.