"I’m really high on Texas": Paul Finebaum makes impressive remarks on Steve Sarkisian's stacked QB room featuring Arch Manning & Quinn Ewers

College football analyst Paul Finebaum praised Steve Sarkisian’s Texas Longhorns. He believes that Texas will be one of the favorites from the Southeastern Conference.

The Georgia Bulldogs reign supreme and are favored to win the SEC and potentially claim another national championship. But with the arrival of historic programs like Texas and Oklahoma, the conference landscape is shifting.

While speaking on the McElroy and Cubelic podcast, Finebaum favored the Longhorns.

Finebaum highlights Texas as a team to watch. Their experience in the college football playoff last year, coupled with a strong quarterback situation and a seasoned coaching staff, has them poised for a serious run at the title.

"I’m really high on Texas, and I think it’s because of getting (to the CFP) last year and experiencing that run,” Finebaum said.

“I think when you have a quarterback room that’s solid and as great as they do, it really makes things a lot easier. And they have so many other compliments around and they have a coaching staff that has some experience."

This influx of fresh talent adds intrigue to the SEC, traditionally dominated by the likes of Alabama and LSU. The Longhorns' recent success makes them a force to be reckoned with come fall.

Texas enters the SEC as a popular pick despite significant player turnover. They lost key contributors at receiver, tight end, running back and defense. However, Sarkisian's experience and a top-tier offensive line, anchored by returning quarterback Quinn Ewers, could mask these early-season concerns.

Steve Sarkisian shared Texas' plan for Arch Manning

As Arch Manning is one of the most talked about quarterbacks, Steve Sarkisian is often put on the spot for not giving him as many opportunities as Quinn Ewers.

Despite calls for a larger role in 2023, Manning surprised many by staying with the Longhorns. Sarkisian talked about his plan with Manning in an interview with Josh Pate. He remains focused on Manning's development, emphasizing a long-term plan to mold him into a successful leader.

"I get a chuckle out of this -- everyone is praising Arch for staying at Texas," said Sarkisian. "He's going into year two! Like, what do you mean? But that's the mentality -- and our locker room is not a whole lot different than everybody else's -- but that's the mentality. 'Good for Arch, he's sticking it out with Texas in year two'. And I'm like 'hey, that's part of the process'. We're developing him to be a great football player and a great leader. And he's going to be."

"But that's where we're (college football) at right now," added Sarkisian. "I think that's a little bit unfortunate, but it is what it is."

Manning's impressive performance in the 2024 spring game, completing three touchdowns and a completion percentage over 70%, put him closer to the starting role.