The Texas Longhorns entered the SEC with something to prove, and two years later, the message has been received loud and clear across the conference. Texas is not just a member of the SEC. Texas is a contender. And as the 2026 season unfolds, the Longhorns have positioned themselves as the team to beat in a conference that has long been the standard of college football.
Manning has completed 68 percent of his passes for 1,420 yards and 14 touchdowns with just two interceptions. He has also added 287 rushing yards and three scores on the ground, showcasing the dual-threat ability that makes him a nightmare for defensive coordinators to game plan against. His combination of arm talent, mobility, and football IQ is rare, and the game has visibly slowed down for him in his third year running the same system.
The offense around Manning is the most explosive unit in the SEC. The running back room features a 1,000-yard rusher who is averaging 6.8 yards per carry this season, and the wide receiver corps has three players with 20-plus receptions through four games. The offensive line, a question mark heading into the season, has gelled quickly and has allowed just five sacks through the first month.
Defensively, the Longhorns have the most athletic unit in the Sarkisian era. The defensive line is anchored by a senior tackle who is projected as a first-round draft pick, and the linebacker corps features a Butkus Award candidate who leads the team in tackles and has the speed to cover sideline to sideline. The secondary, which was the weakest unit last season, has been transformed by the addition of a transfer cornerback who has been a lockdown presence on the outside.
The recruiting pipeline that Sarkisian has built is paying dividends. The Longhorns have signed top-five classes in each of the last three cycles, and the depth on this roster is a direct result. The second-team units on both sides of the ball could start for most programs in the country, and that depth becomes critical in the physical grind of an SEC schedule.
For the Longhorns, the 2026 season is about proving that they belong at the top of the SEC and the top of college football. The talent is there. The quarterback is there. The coaching is there. Now it is about finishing what they have started.
