This isn’t your average college football ranking.
My Ultimate 136 is a set of rankings that is fluid, but it’s my job to look ahead and make a claim for all FBS teams based on what I know and why I know it. Here are the three pressing questions I started by asking when putting together this list:
- Who do I think is good?
- Why do I think they’re good?
- What are the chances they will finish above or below my expectations?
Here is a look at where Texas lands in my Ultimate 136.
Texas Longhorns ranking: 1
Last year’s ranking: 3
Top player: QB Arch Manning: Only FBS or NFL QB in the last 25 years to record a 75+ yard TD pass, a 65+ yard TD run and another 50+ yard TD pass in the same game. Went 2-0 as a starter last year, throwing for 583 yards and totaling 5 TDs (4 pass, 1 rush) in those two games.
RJ’s take: After being selected by the Miami Dolphins in the seventh round of the 2025 NFL Draft, Quinn Ewers has become a symbol of what might have been holding Texas back rather than quite actually the man who made “Texas is BACK!” a true statement.
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The year before Ewers arrived, Texas went 5-7 with Steve Sarkisian as head coach and offensive playcaller and Pete Kwiatkowski as defensive coordinator. The next year, Ewers took a five-win team and made it an eight-win team. The next year, Ewers led Texas to a 10-point win against Nick Saban’s Alabama team in Tuscaloosa, a Big 12 title and its first appearance in the CFP. With the daunting move to the SEC, he didn’t flinch. He led Texas to the SEC title game and a consecutive College Football Playoff semifinal appearance in the 12-team format. He passed for at least 3,400 yards and 20 touchdowns in each of his final two years on the Forty Acres.
It’s fair to say without his performances, Texas might not have landed No. 1 overall 2023 recruit and 2025 starter Arch Manning. If Texas wins the national title for the first time in two decades, it’s because Ewers helped set the table to enjoy the meal; that’s Ewers’ legacy.
But this guy, Arch, glory be, he’s the best QB the Longhorns have had since almighty Vince Young. He was limited last year, but that didn’t stop him from throwing for 939 yards — including 300-plus against SEC foe Mississippi State — and rushing for 108 yards in relief of Ewers. He ain’t beat anybody yet, but he’s got a scarlet and gray opportunity coming his way in Week 1. We’ll draw a lot of conclusions from how he plays against defending national champion Ohio State on the road.
The running back room will be stout with CJ Baxter returning from injury and Quintrevion Wisner rushing for over 1,000 yards last year. Wideout Ryan Wingo figures to blossom alongside DeAndre Moore and linebacker Anthony Hill ought to be an absolute terror on defense. There’s no more Kelvin Banks to hold down the left side of the offensive line, but at 6-foot-7, 314 pounds and two starts, Trevor Goosby ought to have it handled.
But the schedule ain’t doing Texas any favors with just three SEC games at Darrell K Royal and the Longhorns face Georgia on the road this year. Still, it’s the most talented team Sarkisian has had at Texas, and, for UT fans, it’s the one that is supposed to win the national title right here, right now.
[Check out RJ Young’s Ultimate 136 College Football Rankings here]
Texas Win Total Odds: Over 9.5 (-194) Under 9.5 (+156)
Have an issue with my rankings? Think your alma mater is too low, or your school’s rival is too high? Get at me on X, @RJ_Young, and I’ll select my favorite tweets and respond to them in a future article.
RJ Young is a national college football writer and analyst for FOX Sports. Follow him at @RJ_Young.
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