Sean Miller tests a revamped roster of eleven newcomers through a grueling non-conference gauntlet, headlined by a historic Baylor rivalry renewal and high-stakes neutral-site clashes across Texas.
Sean Miller spent his first season at Texas demonstrating how little November expectations can matter by March.
His second team will receive several early opportunities to establish considerably larger ones.
Texas released its 2026-27 schedule Monday, revealing a 32-game slate featuring 18 contests inside Moody Center, four neutral-site games and a road matchup with Louisville.
The Longhorns open Nov. 2 against Chicago State before hosting Gardner-Webb and Grambling State.
Then ... the schedule becomes considerably more interesting.
Texas will renew its rivalry with Baylor in the San Antonio Hoops Showdown at Frost Bank Center on Nov. 15. The matchup will be the 264th between the programs, with Texas holding a 165-98 advantage in the all-time series.
It will also mark the Longhorns’ first appearance in San Antonio since defeating UConn and Michigan State there during their run to the 2003 Final Four.
Texas travels to San Diego less than two weeks later for the Rady Children’s Invitational.
The Longhorns face Georgetown in the semifinals Nov. 26 before meeting either UCLA or Saint Mary’s the following day. The Georgetown game is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. CT on FS1.
Texas then visits Louisville on Dec. 1 as part of the SEC/ACC Challenge. The Longhorns won the programs’ most recent meeting 81-80 at Madison Square Garden in November 2023.
A neutral-site game against Miami at Houston’s Toyota Center follows Dec. 12.
Texas hosts Memphis four days later in the opening contest of a home-and-home series that will send the Longhorns to Memphis during the 2027-28 season.
Those games should help Miller evaluate a roster containing 11 newcomers before SEC play begins.
Texas finished 21-15 during Miller’s first season before becoming the sixth team in NCAA Tournament history to advance from the First Four to the Sweet 16. Its run ended when Purdue scored a tip-in with 0.7 seconds remaining to earn a 79-77 victory.
Nearly every significant contributor from that team departed.
Matas Vokietaitis is the only returning starter, leaving Miller to construct a new rotation from one of the nation’s most highly regarded recruiting classes.
That process must move quickly.
Texas begins SEC play Jan. 2 against Florida. Its nine-game home conference schedule also features Auburn, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Kentucky, Alabama, Texas A&M, Tennessee and Missouri.
Tipoff times and television information for most games remain unannounced. The SEC must also finalize dates for eight midweek contests.
The opponents, however, are officially set.
Miller possesses more talent than he inherited last year.
Texas’ early trips away from Austin should reveal how quickly he can turn it into another March run.
