Texas' opponents' preseason rankings confirm what we knew all along. The Longhorns have one of the toughest schedules in college football.
The Texas Longhorns begin 2026 training camp as the No. 4 team in the country, according to the US LMB Coaches Poll released this week.
Ohio State, which the Longhorns play in their second game of the year, received 38 of the 72 first-place votes. The Buckeyes are trailed by Oregon (6 first-place votes), Georgia (7), Texas (2) and Notre Dame (5) in the top five.
Defending champion Indiana received 14 first-place votes and sits sixth in the preseason rankings.
The start of fall practices begins an exciting time for teams across the nation, but that is especially the case for Steve Sarkisian's Longhorns, who earn their ranking as justification for how respected their roster is among its peers.
Starting quarterback Arch Manning and All-American defensive end Colin Simmons captain a roster that comes off a 10-3 record and wins over heated rivals Oklahoma and Texas A&M. Texas also welcomed a premier transfer portal class, headlined by outside receiver Cam Coleman from Auburn, and a pair of running backs in Raleek Brown (Arizona State) and Hollywood Smothers (NC State).
The Sooners and Aggies are to be expected on the 2026 schedule, but a look at the preseason poll demonstrates just how difficult the Longhorns' schedule will be.
This season, Texas will face seven teams currently ranked in the preseason top 25: Ohio State, Texas A&M (No. 8), Oklahoma (No. 9), Ole Miss (No. 10), LSU (No. 13), Tennessee (No. 18) and Missouri (No. 25).
Just two of those games will be played at Darrell K. Royal Texas Memorial Stadium, where the Horns were a perfect 6-0 last season.
"The onus will be on the offensive line to protect Manning and open holes for the running game," the staff at USA TODAY writes about Texas' chances of competing for the national title that has eluded the program for as long as most of its current players have been alive.
"On defense, new coordinator Will Muschamp will look to get major production out of standout DL Colin Simmons in his aggressive scheme. Veteran DB Jelani McDonald will hold down the secondary that needs improvement after allowing almost 235 yards per game last season."
While the No. 4 slot is less pressure than the top rating Texas received ahead of 2025, the expectations largely remain the same for one of the nation's most talented rosters.
