The Texas Longhorns opened the 2026 season in style Saturday in Austin, rolling past Texas State 59-7 and wasting no time setting the tone in a second-ever meeting between the two I-35 programs.
Texas State showed up for its Pac-12 debut, but the Longhorns quickly turned the night into a showcase. A few issues showed up along the way, especially in coverage and on the ground, but Texas still walked away with a lopsided win and several encouraging individual performances.
One of the biggest bright spots came from Smothers, who was listed as the co-starter ahead of Raleek Brown and immediately backed up that status. On Texas’ first offensive snap, he made a sharp juke that turned into a 45-yard gain.
Later in the first half, he added a one-handed catch that underscored why he drew so much attention out of the portal. He finished his night with 10 carries for 70 yards and three receptions for 28 yards and a touchdown, which came in the third quarter after he slipped away from multiple defenders.
The passing game had its own fireworks. Coleman scored the game’s first touchdown, and from there it became the Wingo show.
The pair combined for 10 catches, 191 yards and three touchdowns, giving Texas fans exactly the kind of explosive start they were hoping for from the top of the receiver room. Coleman and Wingo are already making a case as one of college football’s top 1-2 punches at receiver but there’s still a ton of work to do.
Texas did create some momentum defensively, but the unit also gave up several chunk plays in the first half because receivers were left open. That’s the part Will Muschamp will circle right away, and with good reason. The Longhorns cannot afford those busts against an Ohio State passing attack that includes Jeremiah Smith and Chris Henry Jr.
There were positives in the backfield, too, but the run game never fully took over. Smothers had that early burst, and Manning faced little pressure, yet the ground attack never consistently opened holes, particularly when Brown was carrying the ball. Brown ended with 11 carries for 34 yards, and most of Smothers’ rushing output came on that opening-play run.
Against Texas State, the efficiency issues didn’t sink Texas. Against elite competition, they could be a different story.
In Other News...
College GameDay Sees Texas As A Contender But Not A Sure Thing
ESPNs College GameDay spent part of the weekend sorting through the SECs top tier, and Texas came out of it with something close to a respectability stamp. Several of the panels analysts, including Nick Saban and Desmond Howard, weighed in on the SEC Championship and the College Football Playoff National Championship, and the consensus leaned toward Georgia as the favorite to come out of the conference. Even so, the Longhorns were firmly in the conversation, which is where they wanted to be entering another season with bigger expectations attached to the program.
Desmond Howard went a step farther and picked Texas to win both the SEC and the national title, a reminder that the Longhorns are being viewed as more than just a team with upside. At the same time, the broader skepticism around the league suggests they still have to prove they belong in that same elite bucket as Georgia. Texas will get its first chance to start making that case when it opens the season against Texas State, with the early weeks likely to shape how much of that playoff buzz is real. [Read more 🡒]
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 🡒]