• Texas football has done a lot, including its roster salary.
• Are Arch Manning's Longhorns the national championship leader? Opinions vary.
• Looking for an alternative to Texas that can win a national championship SEC? Try LSU.

Is Texas just assembled the best team funds to buy? perhaps. Plus, it spent a lot of playoff roster after two consecutive years of surrendering to the semifinals, which would again be compared to the national championship game.

We know this: Longhorns cost a lot. How big is it? Well, the Houston Chronicle recently reported that the Texas 2025 lineup budget is expected to reach the $350-40 million range.

This is not entirely unexpected. Ohio State won the national championship last season with a $20 million roster. But the Buckeyes’ lineup reflects the top of the market before revenue sharing. Now, a legal settlement with ongoing court cases is located on the 2-digit line. If it crosses the legal end zone, it will unlock revenue sharing in the next fiscal year. Combine new income-sharing dollars with zero war box and you will get a Texas salary.

On the SEC Unfiltered “SEC Football,” this version of the USA Today’s Network podcast, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams discuss whether that paid lineup makes Texas a national champion leader.

Topmeyer: I looked at the Alabama Project’s hood with Kalen Deboer. This is what I found.

Adams: Transfers and underdog quarterbacks to shape SEC games in 2025

What they saw was this:

Is Texas the national championship leader?

Adams: Texas is a playoff contender. The same goes for national championship contenders. But, the national championship leader? I don't want to go that far. I seem to remember Texas A&M making headlines by spending more than a few Shekels to build the 2022 roster at Season 1 of Zero. What's wrong? Jimbo Fisher, who is unemployed, can tell you all about this. I'm not suggesting Aggies-style drag for Longhorns, it's just that the money needed to win the championship is more than just money. Assuming Arch Manning lives up to the name - I think he will - Texas will hit a punch, more important than those 2022 Aggies. However, I didn't list Texas as my SEC leader - look at what LSU does in the transfer portal, let alone compete in the national championship.

Topmeyer: I'm going to list anybody who has a Texas national championship leader with no problem. The Longhorns have a budding quarterback. They have a comprehensive lineup without obvious weaknesses. They have a good coach. A wealthy lineup cannot guarantee success, but it will certainly help. Quarterbacks like Manning and Sarkisian coaches also help. The Longhorn shot. So, about six to eight teams are going to do.

In the later stages of the episode

∎Adams lists his eight teams that enjoy at least 5% chance of winning national championships. He also sounded on the USA Today top 25 coaches roster, pointing to several underrated SEC bosses.

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Blake Toppmeyer is a national university football columnist for USA Today Network. John Adams is a senior sports columnist for Knoxville News Sentinel. sUbscribe to SEC Football Unfiltered Podcasts and view SEC Unfiltered Newsletters delivered directly to your inbox.