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Forbes
6 hours ago
- Sport
- Forbes
Jamaal Charles On His Advice To Texas Longhorns As They Chase National Championship: ‘Take It One Game At A Time'
Jamaal Charles has confidence in his Texas Longhorns as they enter the 2025 season with high ... More expectations. (Photo by Chris Leduc/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) Jamaal Charles knows what it takes to win a national championship as a member of the Texas Longhorns. The former four-time Pro Bowler and three-time All-Pro running back made a name for himself in Austin, Texas, helping leading the Longhorns – along with quarterback Vince Young – to their last national championship during the 2005 season. Charles, who was a freshman at the time, ran for 878 yards and 11 touchdowns during his first season at Texas. The Longhorns defeated the Matt Leinart and Reggie Bush-led USC Trojans in arguably the greatest college football game of all time in the 2006 Rose Bowl, leading Texas to a 41-38 win over the back-to-back national champs at the time. Fast forward 20 years later and the Longhorns are considered the favorites to win the national championship. A lot of that has to do with Arch Manning – nephew of Peyton and Eli Manning – taking over as starter for the first time. 'Every year, everybody wants to win – not just Texas – but everybody want to win a national championship,' says Charles in a one-on-one interview when asked if the expectation is to win a championship this year in Austin. 'Everybody has that expectation. We should just take it one game at a time and let the road go that way.' The former Big 12 Offensive Freshman of the Year preaches taking it 'one game at a time' in order for the Longhorns to reach their ultimate goal of winning a national championship. 'We're not playing the national championship in September,' says Charles. 'Let's play the national championship in January. Let's just get one game at a time to get us there. I think the staff, and then everybody else they would preach the same thing I'm preaching right now.' The Longhorns will be entering their fifth season with Steve Sarkisian as head coach. They've experienced deep runs with Sarkisian, advancing to the semifinal of the College Football Playoff in each of the past two years. However, Longhorns faithful are itching for their first championship in two decades after coming up close in recent years. 'Having Coach Sarkisian coach us the last four years, that shows you that what type of coach he is is to have a successful season every year he's been here,' says Charles of Sarkisian. 'That shows you that he's just not a one-hit wonder. He's shown that he can stack wins on wins, and put players in the best playmaker position to make plays. From recruiting, the way the organization works, to coaches to staff, facilities and training in the spring. Coaches, they're all on board.' The Longhorns return 12 overall starters from last year's team, including five defensive starters from a unit that ranked third in the country. That combined with the inclusion of Manning – one of the most hyped college players of all time – gives reason to believe the Longhorns are ready to make the jump this season. 'We know last year we came up short, but seeing the kids on the field, they know we have a chance,' says Charles. 'We got a good team, we have more experienced players, even though the kids haven't been playing as much, they have more experience." Although Manning was the backup to Quinn Ewers last season, he saw a substantial amount of action, appearing in 10 games and making two starts when Ewers was injured. Manning posted nine touchdowns against two interceptions with four rushing touchdowns. He also saw brief action during the team's College Football Playoff run last season. 'Now just a different environment having Archie at quarterback, even though he doesn't have a lot of years, but he had a lot of experience when Quinn went out last year,' says Charles of Manning. 'He was able to play a couple of games and play in the playoff games. With his experience, I think he'll bring a lot of confidence to the players on the field.' As Charles hopes to see his Longhorns win their first national championship in two decades, he'll be keeping busy in the near future. That's because the 38-year-old former star running back is partnering with Bush's Beans as they unveil limited-edition bean-inspired BeanBQ Boots. The boots feature color-changing heat sensitive leather and a mini can opener holster. 'They have thermite on the tips of the shoes when you go outside in the sun and it actually get hot on the side of those,' Charles details. "They also gave me a can opener too – I can open a lot of cans open. I can put this light, put it on the side of it. It hooks on the side of your boots. 'It's a real accessory, a cool accessory to have on the side of the boots,' Charles continues. 'I was able to put them on last week for the SEC media week and it was pretty cool. I had a fun time, and I enjoyed walking around in boots feeling tall.' Former Texas Longhorns running back Jamaal Charles is releasing a special pair of boots through ... More Bush's Beans. The release of the boots coincides with Bush's Hot Honey Grillin' Beans. Fans can enter to win a pair of the boots starting July 22 with a second drop on July 29 on the company's website.
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Browns Predicted to Draft NFL Legacy in 2026 First Round
Browns Predicted to Draft NFL Legacy in 2026 First Round originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Cleveland Browns are sure to find their franchise quarterback this offseason, right? General manager Andrew Berry gave himself all the options. Two veterans in 40-year-old Joe Flacco and 27-year-old Kenny Pickett, along with two rookies taken in this year's NFL draft, third-rounder Dillon Gabriel and fifth-rounder Shedeur Sanders. Flacco even had success with the Browns and the offensive system run by head coach Kevin Stefanski back in 2023. Flacco went 4-1 and led Cleveland to a playoff berth while subbing for a number of injured quarterbacks in front of him. But that was then, and this is now. Not all are sold on one of the four in camp being the long-term solution under center for the Browns, and Pro Football Network offered its way-too-early 2026 NFL Mock Draft. PFN thinks the Browns will not only earn the No. 1 overall pick next year, but will draft yet another quarterback. "There will be debate over whether Arch Manning will enter the 2026 NFL Draft right up until the deadline next January," PFSN wrote. "While all signs and priors point towards the Texas Longhorns' quarterback returning, there is a possibility that he will declare, especially if he is likely to be the No. 1 overall selection. This may only be Manning's first year as a starter, but the hype is real. There is enough tape to hint that the five-star recruit has all the intangibles and dynamic play to potentially be the top quarterback in next year's class. "The 6-4, 212-pound quarterback is a more high-powered passer than his uncles, adding a potent rushing threat they didn't have. On top of his 939 passing yards, nine touchdowns and two interceptions, Manning has an adjusted yards after contact on rushes of 8.59, adding 1.04 EPA per scramble." There are two things in play here. First, if the Browns are bad enough to earn the No. 1 overall pick in 2026, look for sweeping changes across the coaching staff and front office. Stefanski and Berry are likely gone. Second, it would solidify the Browns as a laughing stock in the league if they fail to produce a quarterback with either of the 2025 draft picks in Gabriel and Sanders. But there's no question that when Manning elects to enter the draft, he'll be the first pick. This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 19, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Where Texas Lands in PFF's Top 10 Teams at Every Position Group
Where Texas Lands in PFF's Top 10 Teams at Every Position Group originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Texas Longhorns will enter the 2025 college football season with extremely high expectations. Texas will likely be ranked one of the top three teams in the country prior to the season opener. After reaching the College Football Playoff semifinal each of the last two seasons, the hype surrounding the Longhorns is at an all-time high. Steve Sarkisian's squad is knocking on the door of a national title. Texas' roster is certainly one of the best in the nation on paper, there's just several players in key positions who have to go out and prove it on a consistent basis. Pro Football Focus (PFF) recently ranked the top-10 units in college football at every position group. The Longhorns made the cut for the majority of units, although missing out on having a top quarterback room was a bit shocking to some. Here's where the Longhorns landed in PFF's ranking at each position group: Quarterback: Honorable Mention Running Back: No. 3 Wide Receiver: No. 8 Offensive Line: Not Ranked Linebacker: No. 1 Secondary: No. 1 Defensive Line: No. 10 Quarterback phenom Arch Manning may have had people assume that Texas has one of the best rooms in the country, but the depth behind Manning is inexperienced and/or young. Other quarterback rooms such as LSU (No. 1) include Garrett Nussmeier and Mississippi State transfer Michael Van Buren Jr. Texas' defense certainly looks to be one of the best in the country this season. Key defensive playmakers include linebacker Anthony Hill Jr., pass rusher Colin Simmons and safety Michael Taaffe. The Longhorns will soon see what they're made of when they open the season in Columbus against Ohio State on Aug. story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 21, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
There's a Clear-Cut Favorite to Win the SEC in 2025
There's a Clear-Cut Favorite to Win the SEC in 2025 originally appeared on Athlon Sports. We're roughly a month away from the start of the 2025 college football season. The Texas Longhorns are expected to enter the season ranked one of the top three teams in the nation. The high ranking feels warranted as Texas reached the College Football Playoff semifinal each of the last two seasons and return several key playmakers. Led by quarterback phenom Arch Manning and a few of the top defensive players in the country, the Longhorns are the clear-cut favorite to win the SEC title in 2025. The SEC preseason media poll was revealed on Friday and Texas received 96 first-place votes. The next closest was Georgia with 44 first-place votes. Texas faced Georgia in the SEC Championship game in 2024 but lost a close contest to the Bulldogs, 22-19. The two powerhouse programs are the favorites to meet in the SEC title game once again, but Alabama and LSU are close behind and are expected to make strides this season. The Longhorns primary rivals, Texas A&M and Oklahoma, fall in the middle of the pack at No. 8 and No. 10. Steve Sarkisian's squad defeated both rivals last season and are favored to do it again in 2025. Although not a conference matchup, Texas kicks off the upcoming season with a massive game against Ohio State in Columbus on Aug. 30. The winner of this matchup should become the heavy favorite to reach the national title story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 18, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
12 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
SEC college football power rankings headlined by Texas, Georgia
The drought sits at two seasons. What a nightmare, right? It's been two long, long years since Georgia demolished TCU to capture the SEC's fourth national championship in a row and fifth in six seasons. Filling that void has been the Big Ten, via Michigan and Ohio State. The SEC is poised to reclaim its perch atop the Bowl Subdivision. That starts with the one-two punch of Texas and Georgia, which met in last year's conference title game and are the favorites to do so again this December. But that's not all the SEC will bring to the College Football Playoff race. There's also Alabama, which may be undervalued at this point as a title contender, and there's LSU, which might end up having the league's offense. And don't count out teams such as Florida, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Mississippi and more. These teams may not win the SEC, but several will be in the mix for an at-large playoff berth deep into November. With media days this week in Atlanta, here's how USA TODAY Sports projects the SEC from top to bottom: 1. Texas The Arch Manning era begins with the Longhorns as the favorites in the SEC and maybe the team to beat for the national title. There's a loaded roster, a supremely talented new quarterback and the motivation to take the next step forward after coming up short against Ohio State in last season's national semifinals. 2. Georgia Georgia feels much closer to Texas than to Alabama, illustrating the gap between these two SEC favorites and the rest of the pack. (And the rest of the pack is pretty good.) The biggest question for the Bulldogs asks how Gunner Stockton fares as the full-time starter after he gained valuable experience over the final two games of 2024. BEST TO WORST: Ranking all 16 SEC college football stadiums 3. Alabama It won't hurt to have slightly lower expectations and a somewhat softer spotlight on Kalen DeBoer and the Crimson Tide after winning nine games in his debut. Ty Simpson is expected to take over under center and will operate behind a very strong offensive line with plenty of weapons at his disposal. The defense is best in the front seven. Overall, this is a very talented team capable of winning the SEC and the national title. 4. LSU The pressure is on Brian Kelly, though. The Tigers' offense should be explosive, especially through the air, and seems capable of winning the shootouts that have become more commonplace in the SEC. The defense needs work. LSU has to do a better job buttoning things up against the run and kickstart a pass rush that disappeared down the stretch in 2024. ALL-IN: LSU pushing all chips into defeating Clemson in opener 5. Florida Bringing back Billy Napier may end up working out for the Gators. The decision to not make a moves after a slow start in 2024 sparked a strong finish ]and developed some significant momentum heading into a promising season. No one embodies that promise more than sophomore quarterback DJ Lagway, who will have his development lifted by an upgraded receiver room. 6. Oklahoma Former Washington State quarterback John Mateer could end being one of the most impactful transfers of the season. Another newcomer to watch is running Jaydn Ott (California). With fewer questions on the defensive side, OU could go from six wins to the playoff should Mateer and new coordinator Ben Arbuckle change the Sooners' fortunes on offense. 7. Tennessee Nico Iamaleava's departure was one of the biggest stories of the offseason. His replacement, Joey Aguilar (Appalachian State), has a track record of production but has to limit his turnovers after tossing 14 interceptions in 390 attempts in 2024. (Iamaleava had five in 334 throws.) The biggest question mark is whether the Volunteers can build a running game that can carry the load without last year's leading rusher and with multiple new starters up front. 8. Mississippi Team Transfer takes another stab at a playoff berth behind a rotating cast of contributors and a new starter under center in Austin Simmons. While the portal yielded more help for the Rebels, look for the defense to rely primarily on players who have at least one year in the program outside of two big adds on the edge. If the defense stays among the four in the SEC, don't be surprised if Ole Miss exceeds national expectations. 9. Texas A&M A veteran offensive line leads the way for a running game that may be the best in the SEC. That will help Marcel Reed continue his growth as the starter. But the Aggies won't improve on last year's 8-5 finish without significant improvement from a defense that gave up 5.5 yards per play in 2024, better than only four other teams in the SEC. Mike Elko's history says the defense will be improved, but by how much? 10. Missouri Another very friendly SEC schedule – the same opponents as last year, just flipped from home to away and vice versa – could lead Missouri to a third 10-win season in a row, which would be a program first. A transfer bonanza will help the Tigers replace several daunting losses on offense, with no addition more crucial than quarterback Beau Pribula (Penn State). And the defense could be nasty with the return of most of last year's starters and more than a handful of Bowl Subdivision transfers with starting experience. 11. South Carolina South Carolina's season will be defined by a five-game stretch in October and November against LSU (road), Oklahoma, Alabama, Ole Miss (road) and A&M (road). Given the rest of the schedule, taking three of five there would probably leave the Gamecocks in range of a playoff berth heading into the rivalry with Clemson to end November. But getting to that point is only doable if quarterback LaNorris Sellers takes a big leap in his second year and the staff can plug in as many as a dozen new starters and contributors on the defense. 12. Auburn Auburn is going to be better, but will seven or eight wins be enough to calm a fan base stewing over Hugh Freeze's 11-14 mark through two seasons? He's done a nice rebooting the offense, though a lot of the Tigers' success or failure will hinge on transfer quarterback Jackson Arnold (Oklahoma) proving he's good enough to start in the SEC. The schedule kicks off at Baylor in what feels like a must-win game. 13. Vanderbilt Quarterback Diego Pavia and dynamite tight end Eli Stowers will lead an offense that largely avoids self-inflicted errors and is able to take advantage of opportunities provided by good field position. The offensive line and receiver corps will be reliant on the portal, though. Look for the defense to take another step forward and help carry the Commodores back to a bowl. 14. Arkansas The schedule is flat-out brutal. Arkansas takes on Memphis and Notre Dame in non-conference play. The SEC slate is Ole Miss, Tennessee, LSU and Texas on the road, and A&M, Auburn, Mississippi State and Missouri at home. The Razorbacks could recapture the magic of 2021 if things go right – really, really right. But the schedule and the new personnel nearly across the board point toward a losing finish. 15. Kentucky The arrow is pointing down for Kentucky after longtime coach Mark Stoops orchestrated the most consistently successful stretch in modern program history. A major roster reboot via the transfer portal yielded another rental at quarterback in Zach Calzada, who has SEC starting experience. But even if the portal additions work out, the Wildcats won't go anywhere without fixing the turnovers that defined last year's four-win finish. 16. Mississippi State Winless in SEC play last season, Mississippi State has barely any reason for optimism and is the unquestioned last-place team heading into the regular season. Winning two league games wouldn't be remarkable, but it might be surprising. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: SEC power rankings: Texas, Georgia top college football's best league
