College football analyst Paul Finebaum isn’t hedging his bets when it comes to one of the most anticipated games of the 2025 season. During an appearance on ESPN’s Get Up, Finebaum made a bold declaration: Texas will defeat Ohio State in their Week 1 showdown on August 30.
And the reason? Arch Manning.
“I am as married to Arch Manning as an old geezer like me can be to a young, great college quarterback,” Finebaum said. “I like everything about him. The Manning name matters, but it isn’t going to matter on that field in a couple of weeks at Ohio State. The experience of being an understudy to Ewers and understanding Sark’s system is what’s going to get them over the top and probably — well, not probably — definitely beat Ohio State in the opener.”
The matchup, set to kick off the season on FOX’s Big Noon Kickoff, is a rematch of last year’s College Football Playoff semifinal, where Ohio State edged Texas with a late defensive touchdown. But this time, Finebaum believes the Longhorns have the edge — thanks to Manning’s development and familiarity with Steve Sarkisian’s offense.
Texas enters the season with high expectations and a top-five ranking, while Ohio State, the defending national champions, will likely start Alabama transfer Julian Sayin at quarterback. The game will be played in Columbus, adding to the challenge for the Longhorns.
Still, Finebaum’s confidence in Manning is unwavering — and he’s not alone. The hype around the former five-star recruit has only grown since he took over the starting job following Quinn Ewers’ departure.
Whether Finebaum’s prediction holds true remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: all eyes will be on Columbus when Texas and Ohio State clash to open the 2025 college football season.
