Texas Longhorns Begin 2025 Season Ranked No. 1 in Coaches Poll for First Time, Ushering in New Era of Dominance
The University of Texas football program has long been synonymous with tradition, pride, and expectation. From national championships to Heisman winners, from legendary coaches to unforgettable rivalries, the Longhorns have always carried themselves as one of the sport’s most iconic brands. Yet for all their history and prestige, they had never entered a season ranked No. 1 in the coaches poll—until now. The 2025 season marks a historic turning point for the program as the Longhorns begin the year perched atop the college football world, voted the No. 1 team in the country by their coaching peers. It’s a moment that carries both weight and opportunity, signaling not just a symbolic milestone, but a very real shot at returning to the mountaintop of the sport.
The top ranking is more than a number. It’s a statement. A declaration that the Longhorns are no longer a team chasing relevance, but one that has finally arrived. After years of hearing “Texas is back” as a tired joke or hopeful projection, the football world is now taking the claim seriously. The No. 1 spot in the preseason coaches poll—voted on by those within the game itself—is the clearest indication yet that Texas is no longer a sleeping giant, but one wide awake and charging toward a national championship.
What makes this moment so significant is the journey it took to get here. Over the past decade, Texas experienced a long and frustrating road filled with coaching changes, recruiting struggles, and painful losses. The program cycled through Charlie Strong and Tom Herman with mixed results, each coach showing flashes but ultimately falling short of expectations. When Steve Sarkisian was hired in 2021, the reaction was mixed. A brilliant offensive mind, yes—but could he restore the discipline, toughness, and national respect that Texas fans demanded?
Fast forward to 2025, and Sarkisian has answered those questions with resounding authority. In just a few short years, he has completely transformed the trajectory of the program. His offensive system is humming. His recruiting classes are consistently among the best in the country. His staff is stable, creative, and experienced. Most importantly, his teams win. Last year, Texas went 13–2, claimed the Big 12 championship in their final year before joining the SEC, and reached the College Football Playoff for the first time in school history. Even though they fell short in the semifinals against Michigan, the run marked a breakthrough season that laid the groundwork for the towering expectations now in place.
Those expectations are driven by one thing above all: talent. The 2025 Texas Longhorns roster is one of the deepest and most star-studded in the country. At quarterback, Arch Manning finally steps into the spotlight. The former No. 1 overall recruit has been groomed carefully behind Quinn Ewers, and now the job is fully his. Manning has all the tools—size, arm strength, football IQ, and bloodlines—to become a program-changing player. Reports from spring and summer camp suggest that he’s taken command of the offense and looks poised to thrive.
He won’t have to do it alone. His supporting cast is elite at nearly every position. The wide receiver group is stacked with playmakers, including Alabama transfer Isaiah Bond, explosive sophomore Johntay Cook, and the reliable Jordan Whittington. Tight end Gunnar Helm provides a safety valve over the middle, while the running back tandem of Jaydon Blue and Cedric Baxter Jr. offers a combination of speed, power, and versatility that few teams can match.
Up front, Texas returns one of the best offensive lines in the country. Kelvin Banks Jr., a projected first-round NFL Draft pick, anchors the unit at left tackle. The experience, size, and cohesion of this group should give Manning time to throw and create gaping lanes for the running game. It’s an offense built to score in bunches—and to do so against even the best defenses in the country.
But what truly sets this team apart is its defense. For years, Texas fans watched as their team struggled to get stops in big moments. That’s no longer the case. Defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski has built a unit that is fast, aggressive, and physical. The front seven is loaded with talent, including transfer Bear Alexander at defensive tackle and rising star linebacker Anthony Hill Jr., who made a name for himself as a true freshman last season. The secondary features ballhawks like Terrance Brooks and Derek Williams, both of whom bring SEC-level athleticism and instincts to the field.
This is a complete team—one with strength in all three phases of the game and the depth to withstand the physical grind of an SEC schedule. And now, they carry the burden—and honor—of being No. 1. That target on their back will be massive. Every opponent they face will treat their matchup against Texas as a measuring stick. That’s the price of greatness.
Yet, for all the pressure that comes with the ranking, it’s also a long-overdue recognition of what Sarkisian and his program have built. It’s a testament to Texas’s patient climb back to national relevance. It’s validation for recruits who took a chance on a rebuilding team and now find themselves leading a juggernaut. It’s a message to the rest of the college football world that Texas is not just hoping to contend—they expect to.
Of course, being ranked No. 1 in the preseason doesn’t guarantee anything. History is filled with teams that began the year at the top and failed to finish the job. For Texas, the real work begins now. Their schedule is brutal, with marquee games against Ohio State in Week 1, a gauntlet of SEC opponents including Alabama, Georgia, and LSU, and the always-passionate Red River Rivalry clash with Oklahoma. Every game will be a test. Every mistake will be magnified. Every win will feel like survival.
That’s the reality of playing from the top. But Sarkisian and his players seem to embrace it. In interviews, there’s been no bravado or arrogance—just a quiet confidence and a hunger to finish what they started. They know last year’s semifinal run was only the beginning. This year, the goal is crystal clear: win a national championship. Anything less would feel like a missed opportunity.
The move to the SEC adds even more weight to the season. Texas is no longer in the Big 12, where the perception—fair or not—was that the competition wasn’t quite on the same level as the SEC. Now, every week brings a heavyweight matchup. And yet, the coaches across the country still voted Texas No. 1. That says something. It says they believe the Longhorns are not only built for the SEC—they’re built to thrive in it.
This new era of Texas football is about more than rankings. It’s about resetting the standard for what the program can be. It’s about proving that Texas can not only produce NFL talent and sell out stadiums but also consistently compete for and win championships. It’s about reclaiming the spot they believe is rightfully theirs at the top of the sport.
For the fans, this moment is both exhilarating and nerve-wracking. After years of heartbreak and underachievement, they finally have a team worthy of the hype. But with that comes the fear of failure. College football is unforgiving. One loss can derail a season. A couple of injuries can change everything. That’s why the top spot is so hard to hold.
Still, if any Texas team in the modern era is equipped to handle it, it’s this one. The talent, coaching, leadership, and experience are all in place. Now it’s about execution. Now it’s about focus. Now it’s about finishing.
Being ranked No. 1 in the coaches poll for the first time ever is a historic moment for the Texas Longhorns. But it’s not the destination. It’s the beginning of what they hope will be a journey to the top of the mountain. For a program that has waited so long to reclaim its rightful place, the 2025 season offers a golden opportunity.
And this time, it feels real. Texas is no longer chasing a return to greatness. They’re living it.
