Texas did enough in Week 1 to climb in both major polls, and now the Longhorns get the kind of stage that can reshape a season in a hurry.
After rolling past Texas State 59-7, Texas moved from No. 5 to No. 4 in the AP Top 25. In the US LBM Coaches Poll, the Longhorns also climbed, jumping from No. 4 to No.
- In both rankings, Oregon was the team Texas passed.
That bump comes with a heavyweight test right away. Texas is set to host No.
1 Ohio State at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on Saturday, with kickoff scheduled for 6:30 p.m. CT on ABC.
The first full weekend of the season was mostly steady at the top of the AP rankings. Only one ranked team fell, with No.
24 Louisville losing a close one to No. 9 Ole Miss in Nashville.
A handful of other top-25 teams survived tight calls, including No. 2 Oregon, No.
19 SMU and No. 16 Michigan.
Oregon’s narrow escape opened the door for Texas in the AP poll. The Ducks needed a late home win over Boise State, while the Longhorns handled business in a lopsided opener. That was enough for Texas to slide into the No. 4 spot behind Ohio State, Georgia and Notre Dame.
The rest of the new AP Top 25 reads: Ohio State, Georgia, Notre Dame, Texas, Indiana, Oregon, Miami, LSU, Ole Miss, Texas A&M, Oklahoma, Alabama, Texas Tech, USC, BYU, Penn State, SMU, Tennessee, Washington, Utah, Iowa, Houston, Mizzou, Louisville and Virginia.
In the Coaches Poll, Texas sits at No. 3 behind Ohio State and Georgia, with Notre Dame checking in at No. 4. Indiana, Oregon, Miami, LSU, Texas A&M and Oklahoma round out the top 10.
Week 1 also gave a first look at how Texas’ 2026 schedule opponents performed. Texas State was beaten 59-7 in Austin, while Ohio State took care of Ball State 56-3 at home. UTSA beat UT Rio Grande Valley 45-16, Tennessee defeated Furman 56-9, Oklahoma shut out UTEP 51-0 and Florida rolled past FAU 66-21.
Elsewhere on the slate, Ole Miss topped No. 24 Louisville 41-38 in Nashville, Mississippi State beat ULM 62-13, Missouri handled Arkansas Pine Bluff 54-14, LSU blasted Clemson 51-10 and Arkansas beat North Alabama 31-14.
In Other News...
Texas Fixed One Problem But Sarkisian Still Saw Costly Mistakes
Steve Sarkisian spent the offseason trying to clean up one of Texas most frustrating habits, and the first glimpse of progress came in the opener against Texas State. The Longhorns were flagged four times for 35 yards, a noticeable step forward from last years penalty problems and a sign that the emphasis on discipline was not empty talk. Three of the flags came on offense and one on defense, which at least suggested a team that was more manageable than the one that spent too many Saturdays in self-inflicted trouble.
Still, the improved total did not mean the performance was spotless, and Sarkisian had reason to see the remaining mistakes as more than minor blemishes. Some of the penalties mattered more than others, and that is where Texas will be judged as the schedule stiffens. The Longhorns can point to a cleaner opener, but the bigger question is whether the new standard holds up when the moments get tighter and the margin for error gets thinner. [Read more 🡒]
Texas Faces One Huge Chance Against Ohio State In Austin
Texas got a clean opening act in Week 1, showing enough on both sides of the ball in a win over Texas State to leave the bigger questions for a far tougher stage. Ohio State handled Ball State in its opener, and now the matchup that has been circled since the schedule came out arrives in Austin, where Texas has a real chance to measure itself against one of the sports standard-bearers in front of its own crowd.
Matthew McConaughey already put a spotlight on the setting by calling it a chance for the Buckeyes to come to Texass house next, and that kind of build-up only adds to the weight of the game. The Longhorns know the details will matter, from how they handle key matchups to whether their offense and defense can carry over the promise from Week 1, because this one is less about surviving an early test and more about seeing what Texas looks like when the stakes rise on its own field. [Read more 🡒]
Texas Faces One Ohio State Threat Fans Know All Too Well
Texas is getting an early-season measuring stick against Ohio State, and one of the biggest reasons the matchup feels so dangerous is the familiarity of Jeremiah Smith. The Longhorns have already spent time trying to slow down the star wideout, and now they have to do it again while also dealing with a Buckeyes offense that has looked more polished around quarterback Julian Sayin, who has quickly become the kind of player opposing defenses have to plan for from the opening drive.
On the other side of the ball, Ohio State is hardly untouched by change. The Buckeyes are working through a major defensive overhaul under new coordinator Matt Patricia after sending a wave of talent to the NFL, which adds another layer to a game already carrying plenty of intrigue for Texas. For the Longhorns, the challenge is simple to describe and hard to solve: handle the receiver they know, while also finding answers for the new wrinkles Ohio State can throw at them. [Read more 🡒]