Are the days of undefeated national champions behind us? That’s a question UT head coach Steve Sarkisian has been forced to ask himself while he stares down the barrel of what might be the most pressurized season of his career. The Texas Longhorns are no longer sneaking up on anyone. With a roster rumored to cost around $40 million—one of the most expensive—and the weight of a generational QB in Arch Manning, the expectations in Austin are as tall as the state’s capitol dome. But while the money and the Manning name shine bright, the roadmap to a flawless season is riddled with potholes, starting with a brutal opener against Ohio State.

As far as Arch Manning’s impact this season is concerned, that’s surely worth millions. FOX Sports’ Colin Cowherd weighed in on the hype Arch Manning brings to the table. “I’ve never seen a quarterback hype to this level,” Cowherd said. “I kind of buy that he is good. The little bit I’ve seen, he’s athletic. He’s got a nice arm. He’s apparently gotten stronger. It puts a lot of pressure on Sark. Who, I mean, let’s be honest, the downside to Arch Manning is you’ve got Arch Manning. And people want you to go 12 and 1 in the SEC.” That right there is the paradox. Arch’s ceiling might be a national title, but his presence automatically raises the floor to the point where anything less than elite feels like failure. The hype is loud. So is the schedule.

Even Bruce Feldman echoed the pressure, as he acknowledged the flashes of brilliance that Manning has already shown. “I expect them to be a playoff team. I don’t know if they’re going to be the team that’s in the national title game,” Feldman said. “Because here’s the thing—they lost a first-round receiver in Matthew Golden. They lost four starting offensive linemen, I mean, including both tackles. That’s a lot to replace.” Feldman made it clear: Texas is still a contender, but the road is steep.

“I think they’ll be really good on defense, even though they lost Jahdae Barron, who was a first-round pick. But I think they’ll be good up front on defense.” And about Arch? “You will see wow plays. Now, keep in mind, he has not played that much college football. He started a couple games. He is, to me, definitely more talented than Quinn Ewers. He is a much better athlete. The guys I know inside the Texas program have raved about Arch in terms of his football savvy, his playmaking ability, what he is character-wise. I think Sark is a really good fit for him.”

Still, expectations aren’t built on projections alone. They hinge on staying healthy, something Steve Sarkisian knows all too well is rarely guaranteed. “It’s difficult, yes, because of the quality of opponents you play, but it’s so difficult to stay healthy that long,” Sarks said when asked about the challenge of going undefeated. “You’re going to have teams and years like we had last year, where you lose your starting quarterback. And how do you respond to your quarterback being down? You lose both your left tackles—that happened to us last year. Or your left tackle and then your right tackle. And do you have the depth to endure?”

Depth, durability, and development. Those three Ds could be what separates Texas from a playoff bid or another season of “almost.” Even with Arch Manning under center, Texas will need its retooled offensive line to gel quickly, especially when facing SEC front sevens that feast on weak protections. Losing both tackles is no small thing, and unless those gaps are filled with plug-and-play talent, the hype train could get derailed early.

Three of the last five College Football Playoff champions have finished the season undefeated, a stat that might haunt Sark more than it motivates him. Because when you’re this rich in talent and spotlight, anything short of perfection feels like a letdown.

Steve Sarkisian fires back: ‘I wish I had $40 Million!’

Steve Sarkisian isn’t mincing words when it comes to the rumors swirling around his Texas roster. After leading the Horns to the CFP semifinals last season, Sark found himself in the middle of a buzzworthy report claiming Texas had shelled out between $35 million and $40 million on their roster.

And to put it lightly, he’s not thrilled about it.

“What’s frustrating on that was it was a little bit of irresponsible reporting,” Sarkisian said Tuesday on SiriusXM. “It was one anonymous source that said that’s what our roster was. I wish I had $40 million on our roster. We’d probably be a better team than we are.”

Can’t argue with that logic, Coach.

Sarkisian wasn’t denying that Texas has strong NIL backing—after all, this is Texas—but he emphasized that the idea of a $40 million roster was exaggerated. “The idea to think that a lot of other schools aren’t spending money to get players, I mean, it’s the state of college football right now. It is what it is. Hey, we’re fortunate, don’t get me wrong. We’ve got great support… I wish I had another $15 million or so, though. I might have a little better roster.” It seems to be at about $20 million or $25 million, but it’s not quite at the level that is being reported.