Arch Manning leads a stacked Texas team, primed for a dominant 2026 season. Explosive additions fuel championship dreams.
The confetti hasn’t even finished falling on the 2025 season, and Texas is already living in the future.
According to USA TODAY Sports, the Longhorns are entering next season as college football’s No. 1 team, and this time, the hype doesn’t feel like wishful thinking. It feels… earned.
At the center of it all is Arch Manning, now a year older, a year tougher, and a year wiser.
Last season was the crash course. Expectations were cartoonishly high, reality showed up with a clipboard, and Manning learned what it actually means to carry Texas football. The result? Real growth.
And Texas didn’t just hand Arch the keys and wish him luck.
The Longhorns went shopping - aggressively. The receiver room already had juice with Ryan Wingo and Emmett Mosley, then added Auburn transfer Cam Coleman for extra fireworks.
The running back stable got a full remodel with Hollywood Smothers and Raleek Brown, turning what was once a question mark into a choose-your-poison situation.
The offensive line brings back a solid nucleus, though improvement there will decide whether Texas is good or great. Championships tend to prefer clean pockets.
Defensively, the reset button came with authority. New coordinator Will Muschamp brings structure and edge, while Pitt transfer Rasheem Biles adds bite at linebacker.
The secondary survived portal season with minimal damage - a quiet win that matters more than fans realize.
Then there’s Colin Simmons. If you like quarterbacks uncomfortable and offensive coordinators stressed, you’ll love watching him next season.
The road won’t be easy. Ohio State, Georgia, Indiana, and Notre Dame round out the top five, and the rivalry gauntlet is brutal. Oklahoma, Texas Tech, and Texas A&M all sit inside the top ten, meaning there are no off weeks and no hiding.
But this time, Texas isn’t chasing expectations.