Arch Manning has served as Quinn Ewers' understudy for 2 seasons but the time has for come to lead Texas football. Ewers is heading to the NFL draft.

The longest college football season is in the books, but it is not too soon to look ahead. Arch Manning will start, Bill Belichick will coach and Jeremiah Smith will continue to dominate.

But Manning has done everything his way through his recruitment and since he got to Texas. And now, finally, with Ewers announcing for the NFL Draft on Wednesday, the keys are in Manning’s hands to run the Longhorns’ offense. He’s being handed a Lamborghini and Manning should make it purr.

Texas has reached consecutive College Football Playoff semifinals and posted 25 wins over two years. You have to go all the way back to when Colt McCoy was playing quarterback during coach Mack Brown's heyday more than 15 years ago to find a better stretch.

After making it to the CFP semifinals, Texas saw its season come to an end at the hands of Ohio State. A few days later, quarterback Quinn Ewers declared for the 2025 NFL Draft, handing the keys to the offense over to Manning.

Is Texas poised for another appearance in the College Football Playoff semifinals? The national media certainly thinks so.

Michael Jenkins takes an early look at the national title odds in college football for next season and discuses where Texas stands in the pecking order.

Texas QB Arch Manning has the Longhorns at the top of one analyst's way-too-early college football rankings following the CFP title game.