As the Ohio State Buckeyes celebrated their national championship, the Texas Longhorns were left yearning for their own success and silverware ahead of the 2025 season. Moreover, the climb Arch Manning will face has become even steeper after a key weapon departed Steve Sarkisian’s program. To top it off, he joined state-rivals, the Texas A&M Aggies.
The loss during the College Football Playoffs Semifinal still lingers in Austin, and it’ll take some grief time to fully get over it. As Texas watched on Monday night, the school in the Lone Star State will be kickstarting their 2025 campaign against no other than the national champs.
The Longhorns will get their shot at revenge over the Buckeyes during the opening weekend of the upcoming NCAA season. Led by redshirt sophomore Arch Manning, the burnt orange hope they can walk out victorious of their meeting with Ryan Day’s program.
However, the future is not looking any easier for the Horns, as Sarkisian and Manning will be missing many key weapons during the 2025 season. The latest departure from “The Forty Acres” is a key absence at the tight end position.
Arch Manning attends the game between the Los Angeles Rams and New Orleans Saints at Caesars Superdome on November 20, 2022 in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Amari Niblack is transferring to cross-state rivals, the Aggies, ahead of his senior year in college football. Niblack is coming off an underwhelming junior year, after showing great signs of development during his sophomore season with the Alabama Crimson Tide.
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During his first season in Austin, after spending the previous two years in Tuscaloosa, Niblack finished the campaign with just 5 receptions for 33 yards, falling behind fellow tight ends Gunnar Helm and Juan Davis on the depth chart. However, as Helm left for the NFL, many expected Niblack to make the most of the spot left behind.
Sarkisian, here to stay
Steve Sarkisian has been a recurrent name amid the coaching carousel and the buzz around potential moves from college football coaches to the NFL. However, the 50-year-old coach isn’t planning on leaving The Forty Acres.
“Texas has agreed to a new seven-year deal for Steve Sarkisian, which adds a year to his deal and includes a significant raise, per a source. He remains one of the highest paid coaches in the sport, as he’d ranked No. 3 at $10.6 million. Action Network first reported new deal,” insider Pete Thamel stated via his X account.
Head coach Steve Sarkisian of the Texas Longhorns walks onto the field prior to the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl against the Arizona State Sun Devils at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on January 01, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia.
Can’t get here soon enough
With the Buckeyes’ triumph over the Fighting Irish in Atlanta, the 2024 season officially came to a close. For fans, the months ahead may feel like a void, but for every school, coach, and player, this offseason presents a massive opportunity to regroup, refine, and build a team capable of following in Ohio State’s footsteps next season.
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With 221 days remaining until the start of the 2025 campaign, programs still have plenty of time to rebuild and reshape. However, before fans realize it, the season will already be underway.
