Paul Finebaum 'Sold' On Longhorns as College Football Playoff Contender

Paul Finebaum yells at clouds, but he's dreaming big for the Texas Longhorns' success in 2023.

The Mouth of the South often spends his days allowing others to voice their opinions during a four-hour frenzy on national radio. Now, he's the one dishing out thoughts on the immediate future of Texas Longhorns football.

Paul Finebaum recently discussed on ESPN the trajectory of the Longhorns entering their final year as members of the Big 12. Texas, the favorites to win the conference for the first time since 2009, has built up a deep roster of top-tier starters and depth to where double-digit wins shouldn't be a goal, but a standard.

Finebaum agrees. Ten wins should be expected with the returning production and new additions from a top-three recruiting class, but he took a step further. Despite having a trap game in Week 2, Finebaum believes the Longhorns aren't just for real, but should be a contender in the College Football Playoff.

“They’re going to be the pick to win the Big 12," Finebaum said on a hit with SportsCenter Friday. "But … they have Alabama in Week 2, in Tuscaloosa," You will see on College GameDay that day upsets picked. I promise you that. [And] if they pull that one off, they’re going to be off and running. They have one of the best quarterbacks in the country [in Quinn Ewers]. They have the most famous freshman in the country in Arch Manning.”

Ewers is back for a second go-around in Austin. The redshirt sophomore continued to build off his 368-yard performance in the Alamo Bowl loss to No. 12 Washington this spring, honing in on the minor details and commanding excellence in the huddle. He enters summer as a Heisman favorite with first-round buzz attached to his name.

The cast of pass-catchers could mirror that of Ohio State by the season's end. The Horns feature two preseason All-Big 12 playmakers in receiver Xavier Worthy and tight end Ja'Tavion Sanders, along with fifth-year senior Jordan Whittington. Texas also added Georgia's AD Mitchell from the transfer portal and four-star Johntay Cook as part of its recent recruiting class for depth.

Isaiah Neyor is a mystery, but also might be the difference-maker from making the Horns a Big 12 contender to a national favorite. A former All-Mountain West receiver, Neyor was on pace for a breakout year before suffering a torn ACL in fall practice that sidelined him for the season.

Defensively, the Longhorns return six players with starting reps under coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski. Preseason Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year Jaylan Ford looks to build off his first 100-plus tackle season, while Bryon Murphy and T'Vondre Sweat should expand their rep counts following the departures of Moro Ojomo and Keondre Coburn.

Defeating Nick Saban in Bryant-Denny Stadium is a feat in itself. Third-year Longhorns coach Steve Sarkisian should know this after spending three seasons under his wing between 2016-2020. Since the additions of Texas A&M and Missouri in 2012, the Crimson Tide have lost three times at home.

Even if Saban bests another one of his former proteges, the Longhorns control their own path to the playoffs. A non-conference loss shouldn't deteriorate the end goal, nor stop Texas from running the table in the Big 12.

Texas plays current and future SEC rival Oklahoma at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas in the Red River Showdown. At Memorial Stadium, the Longhorns have matchups against Rice, Wyoming, Kansas, Texas Tech, Big 12 newcomer BYU and defending conference champ Kansas State. Outside of a trip to Title Town, their road schedule seems more relaxed with games against Baylor, TCU, Iowa State and former Southwest Conference foe Houston.

Finebaum won't proclaim the three-word phrase that sends shivers down spines if Texas makes the CFP, but he does think Sarkisian has the program trending in the right direction. There's room to grow, but the Longhorns are blossoming before reaching the big leagues.

At least on paper.

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