Texas faces an uphill battle against Georgia, but Arch Manning and a revamped roster fuel championship aspirations in 2026.
They say the third time's a charm, and that's exactly what Texas is hoping for as it enters its third season in the Southeastern Conference.
The Longhorns' first two seasons in the SEC had a bit of everything. In their first year of SEC ball, they dominated the conference, only losing twice to Georgia (one in the regular season, one in the SEC Championship game).
Last season, Texas rebounded from a conference-opening loss to Florida, rattling off four wins in a row before it was stifled by Kirby Smart's Bulldogs once again.
The Longhorns have shown the ability to pick up marquee wins against some of the SEC's top dogs.
They just can't seem to beat the big dawg.
Georgia has had Texas' number in every which way when the two teams have met. It's why the Bulldogs have a 3-0 record against them in the last two seasons, including a 30-15 win in 2024 and a 35-10 win last year, two of the three biggest margins of defeat for the Longhorns in the Steve Sarkisian era.
Some of it is talent, some of it is coaching, but the bottom line is that the Longhorns were clearly not ready to take over the SEC.
But maybe next season will be a bit different.
Texas is one of the favorites for the 2026 National Championship, sitting at +700 odds, according to FanDuel. Those odds have them in a tie for second with Ohio State and defending champions, Indiana.
Georgia sits in sixth, with +1100 odds.
There are a few reasons why experts and oddsmakers are bullish about the Longhorns next season.
For one, they have the co-Heisman favorite (according to FanDuel) QB Arch Manning, who's expected to have an explosive season after he took college football by storm in his final six games of 2025.
Texas also saw its roster go through an overhaul this offseason, upgrading at multiple key positions on offense and defense through the Transfer Portal. In total, it's brought in 19 transfers and ranked as the third-best transfer class, according to 247 Sports.
On the other hand, the Bulldogs were quiet in the portal, bringing in the 32nd-ranked class.
It's worth mentioning that SEC foes LSU and Ole Miss (both on the Longhorns 2026 schedule) topped the portal class rankings. So, while Georgia remains the team to beat, the Tigers and Rebels will also pose as threats to the Longhorns SEC title hopes.
It won't be easy, but Sarkisian and the Texas recruitment staff have given fans reasons to believe that the Horns are serious contenders next season.
Now they just have to prove it on the field.