Texas is walking into the season with the kind of roster and expectations that can swallow a program whole if things go sideways.
After reaching two straight College Football Playoff semifinals, the Longhorns took a step back in 2025, finishing 9-3 and missing the playoff altogether. That came in the first year of the Arch Manning era, with the former top-rated recruit in college football history - and the grandson of Archie Manning and nephew of Peyton and Eli Manning - carrying the spotlight from the start. Texas opened the year ranked No. 1 in the AP poll for the first time in program history, then stumbled to a 3-2 start before closing the regular season by winning six of its final seven games.
Steve Sarkisian responded by making a major change on defense, firing longtime coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski and bringing back former Texas defensive coordinator Will Muschamp. The Longhorns also attacked the transfer portal, adding Auburn wide receiver Cam Coleman, Arizona State running back Raleek Brown and North Carolina State running back Hollywood Smothers.
That combination of returning talent and new arrivals has Texas labeled the most talented team in college football by Punt & Rally.
But that talent comes with a brutal standard, and ESPN’s Paul Finebaum made that clear on “The Paul Finebaum Show” when asked what another 9-3 season would mean.
"I think it would be a disaster," Finebaum said. "That team needs to go far.
You can't go 9-3 two straight years when you've got the best roster that Texas has had at least since Vince Young was there. It will be inexcusable."
Texas has spent years building itself back into one of the sport’s heavyweight programs, and the roster now reflects that investment. With Manning back at quarterback and Sarkisian’s team loaded around him, the pressure is only rising.
If the Longhorns come up short again, the questions about Sarkisian and whether he can deliver the program’s first national championship since 2005 will get even louder.
In Other News...
Steve Sarkisian Is In A Heated Fight For Must Have Texas Lineman
Texas has made interior offensive line a priority in the 2028 class, and Kendrick Harris sits near the top of that board. The four-star prospect from Duncanville has already drawn serious attention as one of the best interior linemen in his cycle, which is exactly why Steve Sarkisian and his staff are treating this recruitment like an early heavyweight battle rather than a distant future decision.
The Longhorns are trying to sell more than just the brand name, because Texas A&M, Oklahoma, LSU and SMU are all in the mix as well. For a program that has dealt with the offensive line as one of its biggest question marks under Sarkisian, landing a player like Harris would carry obvious value, but the real challenge is still ahead as he weighs the coaches and the fit that matter most to him. [Read more 🡒]
Texas Still Has A Shot At A Massive 2027 Recruiting Flip
Texas has already put together a strong 2027 recruiting class, but the Longhorns are still working through the usual churn that comes with chasing elite prospects this far out. Even after a few losses and decommitment flips, the staff is staying active on the trail, and one of the names it continues to circle is a highly regarded athlete whose profile fits what Texas likes to target on both sides of the ball.
Honor Fa'alave-Johnson remains one of the more intriguing players in the 2027 cycle because evaluators see real value beyond one position. He is widely viewed as a safety at the Power 4 level, yet his high school production has included major work as a runner and receiver, which is part of why Texas is still so interested. If the Longhorns are going to make a late move here, they will need to keep pressing on a recruitment that already has plenty of attention and no shortage of moving parts. [Read more 🡒]
Sean Miller Has Texas In The Hunt For A Massive 5-Star Win
Sean Millers first months in Austin have already brought a noticeable recruiting jolt, and Texas is now in the mix for one of the biggest names in the 2027 class. Five-star center Darius Wabbington has emerged as a major target for the Longhorns, a sign that the program is aiming high as it tries to stack elite talent around the foundation it has already built through recent commitments and a strong run in the portal.
Wabbington has trimmed his list to a small group of heavy hitters, and Texas is still standing alongside some of the sports most established powers. He has official visits lined up to several of those programs, including Texas, which keeps the Longhorns firmly in the conversation as the race moves into a more serious phase. For Miller, this is the kind of battle that can help define how quickly Texas can turn momentum on the recruiting trail into something lasting. [Read more 🡒]