Texas Longhorns Face Rare Underdog Role Against LSU In Death Valley

Texas Longhorns football has spent the entire 2026 season playing with expectations firmly on its side.

That changes Saturday night when Steve Sarkisian's team travels to Baton Rouge for a critical SEC showdown against LSU.

MORE: Ex Texas Star Makes NFL History With Green Bay Packers

For the first time this season, Texas is a betting underdog.

The Longhorns (7-2, 4-2 SEC) enter the matchup as 4.5-point underdogs against the Tigers (6-3), according to BetMGM.

That's a remarkable shift for a Texas team that was favored against every previous opponent, including several nationally ranked programs.

And it's not because the Longhorns have suddenly forgotten how to win.

Texas has won three consecutive games, including a 34-20 road victory over Missouri last Saturday.

Quarterback Arch Manning completed 28 of 38 passes for 297 yards and three touchdowns as the Longhorns scored the game's final 21 points.

Still, the betting market isn't convinced Texas deserves to be favored in Death Valley.

Part of that skepticism comes from the Longhorns' inconsistency earlier this season. Consecutive 27-24 losses to Oklahoma and Florida exposed offensive problems and raised questions about Manning's ability to deliver consistently against quality competition.

The other factor is Tiger Stadium itself.

Few venues in college football create the atmosphere LSU enjoys during Saturday night games.

The crowd, noise and pressure can complicate offensive communication and force visiting quarterbacks into costly mistakes.

Sarkisian, however, isn't backing away from the challenge.

"We're big game hunters, we showed up today," Sarkisian said following the Missouri victory.

Texas has already demonstrated its ability to beat ranked opponents, and its recent offensive adjustments have helped Manning become more comfortable operating Sarkisian's system.

The Longhorns have increasingly relied on shorter throws, improved protection concepts and a more balanced attack rather than demanding explosive passing plays on every possession.

Those adjustments could prove essential against an LSU defense Sarkisian considers among the most talented his team will face.

"You could argue this is the most talented defense we're going to go against this year," Sarkisian said.

LSU, coached by Lane Kiffin, is coming off a 31-13 loss to Alabama and desperately needs a signature victory to strengthen its own postseason credentials.

For Texas, the stakes are equally significant.

The Longhorns entered the week ranked sixth in the College Football Playoff standings, making Saturday's game another major opportunity to strengthen their postseason résumé.

A victory in Baton Rouge would also give Texas additional momentum before closing the regular season against Arkansas and Texas A&M.

But another loss would leave the Longhorns facing uncomfortable questions about their playoff position.

Texas hasn't been asked to overcome the oddsmakers' doubts this season.

MORE: Texas Climbs to No. 6 in CFP Rankings After Huge Missouri Victory

Now Manning and the Longhorns get their chance to prove the betting market wrong.

Saturday's game kicks off at 6:30 p.m. CT on ABC.