The Texas Longhorns closed out the 2025 season with a win, defeating the Michigan Wolverines 41-27 in the Citrus Bowl to prove they are the cheesiest. What was your biggest takeaway from the postseason victory?
Daniel Seahorn (@DanielSeahorn) – Christian Clark provided Texas with a viable run game, which allowed them to be much more balanced offensively. It was a pleasant surprise and could potentially bode well for the position group heading into the spring.
Also, Arch gave us a glimpse of what is
to come in 2026. That was fun.
Gerald Goodridge (@ghgoodridge) – Christian Clark can be RB1 on an elite team. The Michigan run defense is a good unit, and Clark showed great vision, decisiveness, and explosion during that game. While it seems apparent that Texas still plans on adding at least one more running back, if not two, in the cycle, Clark has what it takes to be a key contributor on an offense with goals of winning the SEC and a National Championship.
Cameron Parker (@camerondparker) – Arch Manning knows how to take over a game, Christian Clark can be an RB1, and Texas needs to do whatever possible to keep Bo Barnes on the roster in 2026.
Jacob Neidig (@jneidig_2) – Arch Manning can take over a game at any given moment. Watching his performance to end the year, especially contrasted against the opening game, was pure fun.
Quentin Bell (@uncleqbell) – The talent and structure are there, but the foundation needs a bit more cement if the Longhorns want to be as monumental as they want and claim to be.
Wescott Eberts (@SBN_Wescott) – It was a breakout game for Christian Clark, who looked significantly more explosive than he did earlier in the year to prove that he can factor into the rotation next year. But the headline has to be Arch Manning, who served notice that he is who everyone thought he was, entering the Texas program in a complete performance through the air and on the ground. It’s going to be another offseason full of hype for Manning after that effort. The difference is that it will all be justified this year.
Let’s fill out on end of end-of-season superlatives! Let’s start with your Offensive and Defensive MVPs?
Daniel Seahorn – Offensive: Arch Manning, and it isn’t even close. He really turned the corner on the back half of the season and started showing why he was such a prized recruit. The coaching staff is going to put the pieces around him for 2026 to make a run.
Defensively, it’s Colin Simmons. Double-digit sacks and an impact player despite being the focal point of offensive game plans week in and out. He’s three and done next year and was worth every penny.
Gerald Goodridge – Offensive MVP has to be Arch Manning. It would have been wild to say that in Week 5, but Arch shook off the first-time starter jitters he showed early and grew into the elite quarterback we all thought he would be. Defensive MVP is Colin Simmons. First double-digit sack season since Jackson Jeffcoat in 2013. Dude was nothing short of elite for Texas.
Cameron Parker – Offensive MVP: Arch Manning. It was a slow start for Arch, but he ended the season accounting for 350+ all-purpose yards in 5 of the last 6 games. Defensive MVP: Colin Simmons. Simons recorded a sack in each of the final five games and had a double-digit sack performance against Oklahoma and Kentucky.
Jacob Neidig – OMVP: Arch. He balled down the stretch. Despite no run game and a WR room that struggled, he put on a show down the stretch. DMVP: Colin Simmons. He completely altered offensive game plans and disrupted opposing QBs.
Quentin Bell – OMVP: Arch, his development through the season showed with grit that you cannot teach, and gave Texas chances to win. DMVP: Michael Taaffe, his leadership and awareness on the field kept the defensive intensity at the caliber of elite throughout the season.
Wescott Eberts – The improvement throughout the season and the lack of consistent impact players at the skill positions make Manning the easy call here, although left tackle Trevor Goosby was probably the team’s best offensive player throughout the year. On defense, Colin Simmons had a slow start just like Manning did before breaking out against Oklahoma and Kentucky before playing at a high level for the rest of the season.
Favorite moment of the season?
Daniel – The run by Arch Manning to put away A&M is probably my favorite followed closely by his run against Oklahoma where he waved them goodbye.
Gerald – Call me an Arch glazer or whatever, but it has to be the game-sealing touchdown run against Texas A&M. Not only was it an incredible individual play, running through and past tacklers, but the rest of the narrative around it. It really felt like an exclamation point on Arch pushing beyond the early-season narratives and doing it against Texas’s biggest rival to eliminate them from SEC Championship contention. And at that point, a Texas win meant the Longhorns had a shot at the playoffs if they got help the next day.
Cameron – It’s between Ryan Niblett’s punt return tuddy against Oklahoma and Arch’s game-sealing touchdown run against Texas A&M.
Jacob – The Ryan Niblett punt return against Mississippi State. It was a chaotic game that Texas clawed its way back into. His punt return tied the game and silenced the cowbells. Great play in a big moment.
Quentin – The field goal block against A&M in the first quarter made for an exciting game to watch.
Wescott – With an honorable mention to Manning’s huge touchdown run against A&M and Ryan Niblett’s punt return touchdown against Mississippi State, I’m going with Niblett’s punt return touchdown against Oklahoma to seal that victory. Coming out of mediocre non-conference performances and the awful loss to Florida, it was a cathartic day in the Cotton Bowl, and Niblett capped it off.
Purely based off the Citrus Bowl, which Texas player do you predict will make the biggest leap forward in 2026?
Daniel – Ty’Anthony Smith is probably my pick. His role will be even bigger, and he will be tasked with an even bigger leadership role within the defense, with guys like Anthony Hill no longer in the picture.
Gerald – I already mentioned Christian Clark earlier, so to add some variety, I will also say Kaliq Lockett. Texas is in the market for a big-play receiver in the transfer portal, but Lockett showed why he was a highly coveted recruit on his big touchdown snag. He beat the corner at the line, won the foot race, used his hands well to separate and make the catch, then showed incredible body control to finish the play in the end zone. I think he can be special regardless of who Texas brings in from the portal.
Cameron – Christian Clark. As of right now, he’s RB1 for Texas in 2026, and he showed he’s capable of it.
Jacob – TyAnthony Smith. He came on strong this year, and I expect him to use a 2 INT game against Michigan to propel him into the offseason. I’m excited to see what’s in store after another offseason of training.
Quentin – Christian Clark, with a new RB coach, and his vision can make a massive impact.
Wescott – Back-to-back interceptions by linebacker Ty’Anthony Smith were the highlights of an impressive all-around performance that also included nine tackles (eight solo). The Jasper product has that East Texas toughness to him and looks like a future star for the Longhorns as another linebacker flip from the Aggies pays off in Austin.
We’ve all had time to reflect on this year’s disappointing season. What were you right about going into the year, and what were you wrong about?
Daniel – I was wrong about the Texas staff being adequately prepared personnel-wise on offense, do what was supposed to be a playoff run year. I would say I was right about the fact that far too many people were too quick to write off Arch Manning as quickly as they did, when it was evident that his supporting cast, both on and off the field, was impacting his play. Never sold stock on him and rode out the storm, and I feel even better about those shares heading into 2026.
Gerald – I let people talk me out of my concerns around the offensive line, so I feel vindicated about that. I also think that we were eventually right about Arch, but to quote Seahorn, “only if you didn’t sell your stock early.” I was wrong about a lot, but I think I was wrong about the cornerback position. I thought it would be a lot stronger than it was, partially because of the scheme and partially because of the personnel. They were good in spots, but there was a wide chasm between the ceiling and floor of that group, and we got too close to the floor too often.
Cameron – I was concerned about the offensive line heading into the season, and that turned into fruition. I was wrong about this roster being ready to compete for a National Championship. I expected them to return to the CFP Semi-finals, not play in the Citrus Bowl.
Jacob – I was rather disappointed in the production from Jack Endries. I expected him to be a key contributor on the offense as a safety blanket in pivotal moments. I was also wildly incorrect about how the RBs would perform this year. I think I was correct in being wary of the offensive line and very excited for the first home game against A&M in a decade. DKR was spectacular that night.
Quentin – A slight disappointment due to no playoffs, but a winning season that shed some light as it came to a close. Seeing the team grow through mistakes is a part of the game, and the discipline follows, then comes winning. They know how to win, but cannot leave the game to chance, and hopefully that’ll change with some of the new foundation.
Wescott – I was right to have concerns about the running back position and the miscalculation of not going after a running back in the transfer portal. I was wrong about how long it would take Arch Manning to figure things out – I thought his experience gained over two years as a backup, including those starts last year, had him prepared to get off to a strong start.
