Paul Finebaum confident Texas will succeed next season under Steve Sarkisian in the SEC

Texas had a noteworthy first season in the Southeastern Conference in 2024. The Longhorns appeared in the conference title game and reached the semifinal of the expanded College Football Playoff. Without a doubt, it was a good way to start in the highly competitive league.

Paul Finebaum was asked on his show on Monday about the team he expects to be the best in the SEC for the 2025 season. The conference, which has for years been the gold standard of college football, is looking to get back on track in 2025, and many of its teams are expected to play their best football.

“I'd probably lean slightly toward Texas,” Finebaum said.

Finebaum didn’t elaborate on why he favors the Longhorns, but his stance highlights the strong foundation Sarkisian has established. However, it’s worth noting that the analyst predicted a tough start for the program, last month on his show.

"I think everyone knows what Texas has lost, but Sarkisian has recruited about as well as anybody in the country," Finebaum said in February on his SEC Network show.

“He's gotten some key elements in the portal. He has what, I think, is one of the safest bets in America on the starting quarterback job. I'm not concerned about that. I think it'll be a little rocky. I think it's going to be tough to go up to Ohio State in that first game.”

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Texas might be the team to get the SEC back to where it belongs

The SEC hasn't appeared in the last two national championship games. It's a first in almost two decades, damaging the league's reputation. Paul Finebaum noted how much of a concern it's for the league.

“That is significant.' Finebaum said in January. "Everyone always thinks that those of us that live in SEC country try to hide things like that. Even today, we’re still arguing for Alabama to get it. But that’s a dramatic moment. It’s a seminal moment in time that I didn’t expect, especially with a 12-team Playoff.

"It’s really amazing when you think about [it]. [The last time the SEC didn’t make the national title game] was before [Nick] Saban. Urban Meyer had just arrived at Florida …To think that we’re in that moment is cause for a lot of concern, at least in the southern part of the world.”

Texas might be the team that elevates the SEC back to its place in the world of college football in 2025. The Longhorns are fast becoming a staple of the playoffs, and competing in the championship game will be the next level for the program after missing the last two.

However, Texas will have to navigate significant roster turnover, as the team is losing a substantial portion of last year’s production. Nonetheless, the program boasts a strong depth, and it has just assembled the No. 1 class this cycle while making significant portal additions.