Texas football held steady near the top of the national picture after its Week 1 win over Texas State, climbing in both major polls despite the mistakes that showed up on the field.
The Longhorns are now No. 4 in the AP Poll, up one spot from last week. They also moved up one place in the Coaches Poll, where Texas sits at No. 3.
That ranking movement came after a shaky-but-successful opener, with Texas doing enough to win without slipping in the eyes of voters.
Around the program, plenty of attention is already shifting toward the next big test. The Austin American-Statesman reported on Steve Sarkisian’s comments about what could decide the showdown against No. 1 Ohio State, while also highlighting Arch Manning’s viral tunnel tumble before the Texas State game.
The Dallas Morning News also looked ahead to the matchup, with Matthew McConaughey previewing Texas’ massive game against Ohio State.
247Sports focused on how Texas is cutting through the noise that comes with the biggest game on its schedule, and also examined how much attention the Longhorns should give Ohio State star Jeremiah Smith as they try to slow him down.
Inside Texas added its own angle on the opener, with a film-room breakdown noting that Texas cruised past Texas State while still leaving plenty to clean up. The outlet also pointed out that Texas vs. Ohio State could top 2006’s game of the century in draft talent, and said it’s a quiet week for Hero Kanu and his former Ohio State teammates.
In recruiting news, Burnt Orange Nation noted that Arch Manning showed improvement in an efficient performance against Texas State, Texas QB KJ Lacey flashed in his 2026 debut, and 2028 four-star safety Jalen Flowers released his top 10 schools.
Elsewhere in the SEC, Good Bull Hunting reported that the Aggies dropped two spots in the latest AP Top 25 rankings. Rock M Nation wrote that Mizzou is looking past rivalry hype during Kansas week, And The Valley Shook named a Game MVP from LSU vs Clemson, Red Cup Rebellion highlighted two Rebels who picked up Week 1 SEC football honors, and A Sea Of Blue offered a prediction for Kentucky vs. Alabama.
In Other News...
Texas Softballs First SEC Path Just Raised The Stakes
Texas softball now has a clearer picture of what its first SEC season will look like, and the grind is immediate. The Longhorns announced a 24-game conference slate that packs in some of the leagues toughest names, with four home series set for Red and Charline McCombs Field against Florida, Alabama, Missouri and Mississippi State.
The road doesnt get any easier, either, with trips to Tennessee, Arkansas, LSU and Auburn shaping the middle and late portions of the schedule. Texas does get a conference bye in late April, but before that break arrives, the Longhorns will spend the spring measuring themselves against the standard that has long defined SEC softball. [Read more 🡒]
Texas Vs Ohio State Could Hinge On One Quiet Battle Around Arch Manning
The Arch Manning conversation tends to swallow everything around a Texas-Ohio State matchup, but this one may be shaped by the players who do not usually get the marquee billing. Texas freshman receiver Jermaine Bishop Jr., Ohio State sophomore defensive back Devin Sanchez, Texas offensive linemen Dylan Sikorski and Laurence Seymore III, and Buckeyes freshman back Legend Bey all sit in the kind of supporting roles that can quietly tilt a big September game when the pressure starts to climb.
For Texas, the most interesting layer is up front, where the Longhorns are still working through how to piece together their left side and keep Manning clean against a defense that will test timing and communication. Ohio State, meanwhile, has its own young talent waiting for a spotlight, and the Buckeyes know a first start or a first big snap can change the way a game feels in a hurry. The matchup may be framed by the stars, but the first real edge could come from whichever of these lesser-known pieces handles the moment best. [Read more 🡒]
Texas Women Face An Early Test That Will Shape Everything
Texas womens basketball now has a road map for a season that will ask plenty of it from the jump. The program released its complete 2026-27 schedule, and it is packed with the kind of games that should tell a lot about where the Longhorns stand, from a home opener against Fairleigh Dickinson on Nov. 4 to a loaded run that also includes the SEC/ACC Challenge against Louisville and a trip to the Players Era Showcase in Las Vegas.
There is already plenty of anticipation around the season, too, with the school announcing a record 7,100 season tickets sold. Add in exhibition tuneups and a slate full of key SEC matchups, and the early part of the year looks less like a warmup than a proving ground. The real question is how Texas handles the pressure of that kind of schedule before conference play even settles in. [Read more 🡒]