The Longhorns were able to defeat the Kentucky Wildcats in overtime by a score of 16 to 13 this weekend, and even though it was a win, it felt like a loss by Texas.
No team should have to go into overtime against a program like Kentucky, and most of the national media recognizes that as well. Arch Manning has to play much, much better over the second half of the season if the Longhorns want to even play in a higher-end bowl game.
ESPN recently released it's updated postseason predictions and they officially have Texas making one of two possible bowl games this year.
Prediction #1
TaxSlayer Gator Bowl - Camping World Stadium (Orlando, Florida)
Texas vs. Notre Dame
In this scenario, ESPN has Notre Dame also missing out on the playoffs despite beating USC this weekend. Irish QB C.J. Carr is playing as well as anyone in the league right now, and their running back duo of Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price are second to none.
Though this is definitely a legitimate possibility for Texas, in terms of the bowl game, it would be a scary matchup for the Longhorns. Despite Texas having an elite defense, they probably won't face an offense as good as Notre Dame's this season to help them prepare for this. The Irish have the ability to put up a lot of points both on the ground and through the air.
Prediction #2
Cheez-It Citrus Bowl - EverBank Stadium (Jacksonville, Florida)
Texas vs. Michigan
It's no secret that Michigan is going to miss the playoffs in 2025, and this would definitely be a "pair down" for Texas. Though Michigan true freshman QB Bryce Underwood has been taking the league by storm this season with his exciting skillset, it would be surprising to see him have success against the Longhorns' top-notch defense.
It'll be interesting to see how Arch Manning performs throughout the rest of the season because he could either have trouble against the Wolverines' defense, or be able to dominate. He needs to focus on finding consistency and confidence over the second half of the year. At this point, Texas' top goals for the rest of the season should be to help Arch improve and win a bowl game.