Paul Finebaum evaluates Texas, Oklahoma's chances of winning a SEC title in next five years

Monday, July 1 marks the day that Texas and Oklahoma officially join the SEC following nearly three decades in the Big 12. As the conference that many consider the strongest across all sports now gets even stronger with two of the biggest brand names in college athletics entering the fold.

Specifically on the football field, the Sooners and Longhorns joining the SEC is particularly impactful with one of the sport’s biggest rivalries entering a new look SEC that no longer features divisions. Where it seems like it will be more difficult than ever before to win a conference title.

With that in mind, college football analyst Paul Finebaum was recently asked on McElroy and Cubelic in the Morning who he believes will take home more SEC championships in the next five years between Texas and Oklahoma if any at all.

“By the way, what you said at the end might be the most accurate,” Finebaum regarding neither program winning an SEC title soon. “I think they’re both capable of getting one, I don’t think we’re gonna see a run.”

The Texas Longhorns won last year’s Big 12 Championship, representing their first conference title since 2009.

In that same stretch the Sooners claimed eight Big 12 titles, but looking ahead, there’s one key player that Finebaum believes gives Texas a higher likelihood of taking home an SEC Championship over Oklahoma in the next half-decade.

“I mean when you walk around Oklahoma, they have so many championships here in the Big 12, and the Big Eight, and all the other leagues. But I would probably lean a little more towards Texas because they have Arch Manning coming in next year,” Finebaum said.

“And I know we’ve seen [Tim] Tebow, and Johnny Manziel, and all these other great quarterbacks. But the hype for Arch Manning as a starter in Texas I think is going to leave the rest of those in the dust,” Finebaum explained.

Texas also made its first College Football Playoff appearance in program history last season, a playoff field that will be much easier to make for both SEC newcomers ahead of the expansion to a 12-team playoff this season. But winning a conference title in the SEC will present a new challenge for Texas and Oklahoma, which may come down to quarterback play.

Finebaum believes Manning could potentially lead Texas to conference championship heights in the SEC despite the former No. 1 overall high school prospect for the 2023 class with strong NFL bloodlines not yet starting for the Longhorns. As he’ll sit behind starter Quinn Ewers for another full season before taking the reins of the offense.

And with another highly touted sophomore quarterback Jackson Arnold getting his first full season as a starter this year for the Sooners, it will be interesting to see who will be able to lead their respective programs to the most SEC success in the near future.