Texas enters the 2025 season with a significant quarterback change. After three years of Quinn Ewers leading the program, Arch Manning will now take over in Austin, aiming to elevate Steve Sarkisian’s offense to elite status.
Though Manning has just two career starts, he’s already viewed by many as one of the top quarterbacks in the country and a potential first-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. EA Sports appears to share that optimism, ranking the Longhorns as the best offense in College Football 26, despite Manning’s limited experience.
Texas Offense Earns Top Spot in College Football 26 Rankings With Arch Manning at the Helm
EA Sports dropped its offense overall for College Football 26 in the game’s online head-to-head deep dive.
Among the teams listed in the game’s top ten offense was the Longhorns, coming in at the No. 1 spot.
The most explosive offenses in College Football 26 are here! #CFB26 | @TexasFootball pic.twitter.com/EC8BWh8f2X
— EASPORTSCollege (@EASPORTSCollege) June 27, 2025
The list sparked plenty of debate among college football fans, with many arguing that Texas’s offensive success in 2025 hinges entirely on Manning, who has yet to prove himself at the college level.
While Manning has only played in a few games for Texas, he is already regarded as one of the best quarterbacks in the country. He was the No. 1 overall player in the 2023 recruiting class and has all the tools to be an elite signal-caller for the Longhorns.
Ewers dealt with injuries last season, giving Manning a chance to start two games for the Longhorns. He shined in those two performances and finished last season with 912 yards, nine touchdowns, and two interceptions on 90 attempts.
While it’s a small sample size, Manning showed flashes of living up to the hype.
Still, it’s understandable why fans thought programs like the defending champion Ohio State Buckeyes or the Penn State Nittany Lions, which return two of the best running backs in the country, should’ve had higher-rated offenses in the game.
But fans must remember that Texas’ offense doesn’t solely revolve around Manning. In 2025, the Longhorns will have former five-star running back CJ Baxter back, who missed last season with a knee injury. They also have a strong, young wide receiver room, and added the fourth-best tight end in the transfer portal, Jack Endries, to their offense for 2025.
Not to mention, the Longhorns have recruited better than anyone in the trenches in recent years and should boast one of the country’s best offensive lines.
Regardless of what fans may think about Manning, this Longhorns’ offense should be a very good unit next season. Is it the best in college football? Probably not, but it certainly deserves to be in the top 10 of EA’s ratings.
