ESPN’s Paul Finebaum picked Texas and Ohio State as his very early favorites for next year’s national title. The 2026 season will begin eight-plus months from now and while Indiana and Miami, who played Monday night, will be in contention, Finebaum opted for other big boys.
Indiana just capped off a 16-0 season and have the third best odds next, while Ohio State has the best, per BetMGM. But Finebaum likes Arch Manning and Texas and the Ohio State Buckeyes to be at the top, at least as of right now.
Texas missed this year’s College Football Playoff, while Ohio State went one-and-done as the No. 2 seed, losing to Indiana in the Big Ten Championship and Miami in the quarterfinals.
“Well, considering nobody got it right, including me, I’m almost hesitant to offer an opinion here, but I’m going to land on two teams in particular, not the ones that played last night, although I think they will be in contention,” Finebaum said on SportsCenter. “But I think you have to start with Texas. I know we started with Texas this year, but Arch Manning is much better, and he’ll have a much more significant role because of some of the compliments they have gotten in the portal.
“And I think Ohio State. I am still baffled at what happened to Ohio State, because they had the best roster in college football, but they simply couldn’t get it done. So that’s where we began this year. That’s where I think we’re going to begin in late August, when the season begins.”
Arch Manning and Texas are going to be fascinating. The Longhorns hit the portal as well and landed a star in WR Cam Coleman, giving Manning another weapon for 2026.
Texas opened the season as the No. 1 ranked team in the Preseason AP Poll, but compiled a 4-2 record through its first six games. It however finished strong, winning seven of its last eight games (four against ranked opponents).
The redshirt sophomore is preparing to run it back at Texas in 2026, which will mark his second season as the Longhorns’ starting quarterback. He confirmed that decision ahead of the Citrus Bowl and said his focus is on continuing his development. That’s why he’s coming back for another year in Austin, along with seeking a return to the College Football Playoff.
“I felt like I developed a lot this year, especially towards the back half, and I want to keep it going,” Manning said. “There’s no reason to leave. I feel like I got a lot more football left to play, and excited to still be a part of this team.”