Texas Football Season Preview: Biggest Opponents, Possible Upsets, And More

Texas Football is heading into perhaps one of the biggest seasons in the history of the program. Arch Manning has a mountain of pressure on his shoulders to live up to the family name in a year that is expected to set up his NFL future for better or worse. With a surge of domination, he might climb to be the No. 1 pick. However, if he struggles, Manning could get the Shedeur Sanders experience in April.

Here’s a look at the biggest and toughest games on the upcoming schedule, with a look at the full picture.

Top 3 Biggest Opponents On Texas’ Schedule

An intrastate rivalry that also serves as the season opener on Sept. 5 will create a huge moment on the calendar. All eyes will be on Arch Manning to see how the young quarterback handles the pressure. A blowout win will build momentum and help get the team on the right foot, but a loss or a last-second victory against the team that went 7-6 in 2025 could take weeks to erase.

Texas’ lone game is set to be played on a neutral field in the regular season, and Oklahoma will bring its A-game. While the Sooners have been on a rollercoaster in recent years in the post-Lincoln Riley era, the program is still high-profile enough for the Sooners-Longhorns matchup to be the game of the week in the college football world. The game will take place on Oct. 10.

The Tennessee Volunteers produced a Heisman finalist at quarterback in 2025, so the program will get plenty of attention by default. Sprinkle in the next generation of the Manning family, and one has the ingredients for one of the biggest games of the year in a contest that will take place in Tennessee. Expect a show on Sept. 26.

3 Games Where Steve Sarkisian’s Squad Could Fall Short

The Ole Miss Rebels will travel to meet the Longhorns on Oct. 24 in a potential NFL preview with Trinidad Chambliss likely to be playing at full speed under his new coach Pete Golding’s direction. The playoffs will be on the horizon at this point, and a win or loss could set the ceiling for the Longhorns’ ranking heading into the playoffs. Arch Manning will get his biggest test of the year in the contest.

The Ohio State Buckeyes are a perennial powerhouse and the top opponent on most schedules heading into 2026. As such, expect the Longhorns to be pushed to the limit in the second game of the season. A loss at this stage of the season would not be the end of the world, but it may force some fans to check their expectations in a year that many expect Manning to make a run at winning it all.

The final game of the season will be a tough one with the Longhorns set to face the Texas A&M Aggies in their building on Friday, Nov. 27. The different schedule could throw off the offense after playing every previous game on Saturday, and Texas A&M was no slouch in 2025 with an 11-2 record in 2025.

Overview

Overall, expect Arch Manning and Steve Sarkisian to march through the year with little trouble. The addition of Cam Coleman will add a new element to the offense, and a rebuilt running back room should also produce the perfect safety valve for Manning. The addition of a new left guard and right tackle should give Manning even more time in the pocket after already throwing for 26 touchdowns and seven interceptions.

The Longhorns appear to be in line for a playoff spot, but don’t expect perfection with plenty of quality opponents dotting the schedule. Here’s a look at the full picture, courtesy of ESPN.

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