Steve Sarkisian’s ties to Nick Saban are clearly doing something for Texas, even if ESPN’s College GameDay crew wasn’t ready to go all-in on the Longhorns.
On the season’s first College GameDay, Saban praised his former assistant and gave Texas plenty of respect, but when it came time to pick the SEC, he still leaned Georgia. Desmond Howard was the lone voice on set to back Texas as the conference champion in 2024, the Longhorns’ first year in the SEC.
The rest of the panel stayed with the Bulldogs. Pat McAfee and Kirk Herbstreit both picked Georgia to win the SEC Championship game, while guest picker Lainey Wilson, a Louisiana native, went with LSU.
ESPN College GameDay SEC Champion predictions
Desmond Howard - Texas Longhorns
Nick Saban - Georgia Bulldogs
Pat McAfee - Georgia Bulldogs
Kirk Herbstreit - Georgia Bulldogs
Even so, Saban’s view of Texas mattered. If the coach with 11 SEC titles, 16 SEC West Division titles and seven national championships in 17 years at Alabama sees something in the Horns, that carries weight.
The bigger moment for Texas came when Howard and Saban both put the Longhorns in the National Championship picture. Howard had Texas winning it all over Notre Dame. Saban, meanwhile, had the Horns reaching the title game before falling to Miami.
ESPN College GameDay National Champion predictions
That’s still a strong sign for a program that hasn’t played in a national title game since 2009, when Alabama beat Texas and Saban’s run at the top of the sport really took hold.
On Friday night, Howard asked, "If not now, then when?" in reference to Oregon’s championship hopes. For Texas, that question feels even more pointed.
If not now, then when, Texas?
The pieces are there. Texas has the talent, Sarkisian has the backing, and the schedule is there.
The No. 5 Longhorns open the season at home against Texas State, and if Howard’s prediction is going to come true, that first step has to be a win.
In Other News...
Texas Returns To Knoxville For A UT Showdown Fans Will Feel
Texas is headed back to a familiar old SEC-era stage next fall, with the Longhorns set to meet Tennessee on Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026, at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville. The noon ET kickoff gives the game a marquee spot on the schedule, and the setting alone should give it a different feel from a typical nonconference road trip, especially for fans who still remember how rarely these two programs have crossed paths in East Tennessee.
What makes the trip even more notable is the return to a venue where Texas has not played this matchup in generations, which only adds to the anticipation around a game that already carries plenty of name recognition. Tickets are already on the market too, with prices stretching from $350 to $1,650, a reminder that this one is expected to draw plenty of attention well before the teams actually get to Knoxville. [Read more 🡒]
Texas Depth Chart Already Reveals A Few Surprising Early Battles
Texas released its first official depth chart of the season ahead of the Texas State game, and it already offered a few hints about where the early competition is fiercest. The Longhorns listed starters and backups across offense, defense and special teams, giving the first real look at how the staff is sorting out roles after camp.
Among the more notable choices, sophomore Dylan Sikorski is penciled in ahead of sixth-year Laurence Seymore at left guard, a sign that the interior line picture is still taking shape. The rest of the chart also suggests Texas is not afraid to make some early calls and keep a few jobs open to challenge, which is exactly the kind of pressure a team wants before the schedule starts to tighten. [Read more 🡒]
Cam Coleman Could Be More Important To Texas Than Fans Realize
Cam Coleman is expected to make his Texas debut against Texas State, and the Longhorns appear eager to fold the transfer wideout into an offense that asks a lot more of its receivers than just running past defenders. Steve Sarkisian has said Coleman came to Austin wanting to learn a pro-style NFL system, one built around a full route tree and the kind of detail work that can speed up a young receivers development.
For Texas, that makes Coleman more than just another vertical target. The Longhorns want to use him downfield, but also in a broader mix of routes that should include digs, comebacks, deep curls and crossing patterns, giving him a chance to stress defenses in multiple ways. If he adapts quickly, he could become the sort of versatile piece that changes how opponents have to defend Texas every week. [Read more 🡒]