A star wideout, clutch in championship games, suddenly departs. Texas faces another roster shake-up as key playmakers seek new opportunities.
Texas just keeps taking hits in the weeks after the regular season ended, and the latest one comes from a position group that never stops being under the microscope in Austin.
Wide receiver DeAndre Moore Jr. confirmed Monday that he's entering the transfer portal, adding another notable name to the list of Longhorns preparing to find a new home while Texas shifts its focus toward the Citrus Bowl matchup against Michigan.
The bowl game may still be on the calendar, but the roster churn is already telling the bigger story.
There had been some uncertainty around Moore's next move, whether he would test the 2026 NFL Draft waters or head to the portal, but the decision is now clear.
And while fans are left trying to read the tea leaves, Moore's teammates are already saying their goodbyes.
Texas wide receiver Parker Livingstone offered a simple message on social media after Moore made his announcement official. "Go be great 0." It was short, supportive, and pretty telling, the kind of post that feels less like surprise and more like the locker room acknowledging what's next.
Moore's departure stings because of what he's shown when the lights are brightest.
In Texas' 22-19 overtime loss to Georgia in the SEC Championship, Moore was one of the few true sparks, hauling in a game-tying 41-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter and repeatedly bailing Texas out late.
He finished that game with a game-high nine catches for 114 yards, accounting for the Longhorns' only touchdown.
Even after that, Moore proved he could deliver on a big stage, scoring again in the College Football Playoff quarterfinal win over Arizona State, where he added a touchdown catch in another overtime thriller.
For the regular season, Moore totaled 38 receptions for 532 yards and four touchdowns, production that doesn't just replace itself when you’ve already got turnover swirling around the program.
Moore's path to Austin was never ordinary.
A four-star prospect from St. John Bosco (California), he originally committed to Louisville in the 2023 class before flipping to Texas and joining a loaded group of high-profile signees.
Meanwhile, Livingstone's rise will be one of the storylines heading into 2026. After recording no catches as a freshman, he broke out this season with 26 catches for 491 yards and six touchdowns, and he'll have a chance to pad those numbers against Michigan in what's quickly becoming a bridge to whatever Texas looks like next.