'We're all going to die.' OK, but can Arch Manning, Texas redeem themselves in CFP first? - USA Today

What the report says

USA Today columnist Blake Toppmeyer argues that Texas may benefit from a quieter preseason spotlight after a turbulent 2025 campaign. In a July 24 column, he writes that attention at SEC media days shifted toward Lane Kiffin, whose wide-ranging comments included a bleak aside about mortality, while Texas coach Steve Sarkisian and quarterback Arch Manning drew less scrutiny than they did a year earlier.

The column frames that reduced attention as potentially useful for the Longhorns, who went 10-3 last season despite entering with major expectations. Toppmeyer notes that Texas lost to Florida and Georgia, had closer-than-expected games against Mississippi State and Kentucky, and missed the College Football Playoff after Sarkisian criticized the selection process. He also recalls the outsized focus on Manning, including public discussion of his eyeglasses, as part of the broader media frenzy around the program.

Toppmeyer’s assessment is that Sarkisian is not in serious job trouble and remains one of the sport’s top coaches, citing his role in moving Texas back into national contention and to two playoff semifinals. Still, the column says the 2026 season carries significant stakes because Texas again has a highly regarded roster. Defensive end Colin Simmons told reporters the team is “stacked,” a view the columnist largely shares.

The significance is that Texas enters Sarkisian’s sixth season with championship-level expectations but less of the immediate media glare that surrounded last year’s preseason No. 1 team. USA Today presents the moment as a chance for Manning, Sarkisian and Texas to turn last season’s disappointment into a renewed playoff push.