Sports Americana

There was a time when Texas football was simply expected to be great.

Not competitive. Not “in the conversation.” Great.

The burnt orange came with a certain expectation, and for much of the program’s history, that expectation was justified. From Darrell Royal to the days of Vince Young, Texas wasn’t merely another college football program. It was one of the sport’s giants.

Then came the long stretch of wondering what happened.

Now, under Steve Sarkisian, Texas looks like Texas again.

And in 2026, the expectations are enormous.

The Longhorns enter the season ranked among the nation’s top teams, with a roster loaded with talent and a quarterback who has become the face of the program. Arch Manning returns for his second season as the full-time starter, after finishing 2025 with 3,163 passing yards and 26 touchdowns.

Manning isn’t simply carrying the Manning name anymore. He’s carrying Texas.

And that’s a pretty big load in Austin.

Texas has surrounded him with plenty of firepower. Wide receiver Cam Coleman is one of the most intriguing additions, while offensive lineman Trevor Goosby, linebacker Rasheem Biles and edge rusher Colin Simmons give the Longhorns elite talent on both sides of the ball. Five Texas players landed on the Walter Camp preseason All-America teams, the most of any school.

There is, however, one very large question mark.

The schedule.

Texas opens its SEC schedule at Tennessee before navigating a November stretch that includes Missouri, LSU, Arkansas and Texas A&M. And then there’s the small matter of Ohio State.

In other words, Texas won’t have much opportunity to coast.

That’s probably fitting.

The Longhorns haven’t returned to the national championship game since the 2009 season, when Colt McCoy’s shoulder injury and a young Alabama team ended their title hopes. Since then, Texas has spent years trying to rediscover the identity that once made the program synonymous with college football greatness.

Sarkisian may finally have them there.

He has produced three consecutive 10-win seasons, rebuilt the roster through recruiting and the transfer portal, and turned Texas into a legitimate SEC contender. The program also brought back former head coach Will Muschamp as defensive coordinator for 2026.

So what’s the prediction?

Texas should be in the College Football Playoff.

The bigger question is whether the Longhorns can finally get through the SEC — and eventually the playoff — without finding another heartbreaking chapter to add to their history.

With Manning, Sarkisian and perhaps the most talented roster of the Sarkisian era, there’s reason to believe they can.