Last year, the Texas Longhorns entered the season as the No. 1 team in the nation, and it didn't pan out, falling to Ohio State in their first game of the season.
Now, despite being seemingly impossible, there is even more hype around the Horns after head coach Steve Sarkisian added star power to both sides of the ball and as quarterback Arch Manning enters the season with a year of genuine experience under his belt.
In fact, one college football coach, who chose to remain anonymous, believes that the Longhorns could very easily enter the season as the No. 1 team in the nation once again.
"On paper, I think they're the team to beat in the SEC," the coach told Athlon Sports. "They might be preseason No. 1 again."
In other words, this coach expects Texas to be better than not just most teams, but better than the best teams in the country, with the SEC laying claim to powerhouse programs like the Georgia Bulldogs, Alabama Crimson Tide, and the Horns.
Could Arch Manning lead Texas back to glory?
A big reason the coach believes Texas could actually pull through on being the No. 1 team on this go around is the fact that he expects Manning to play extremely well during his second season as the Longhorns' QB1.
"[Manning' is going to be just fine. I think he did such a good job of managing it, but he was put in a tough situation. It was literally a 'Heisman or Bust' situation for a kid who hadn't played yet," he said about the young quarterback's pressure last season. "He's super talented, he does everything right, he prepares hard, he'll be just fine."
Now, of course, this coach is putting that exact same pressure back onto that exact same team and quarterback, who fell well short of those lofty expectations last season.
Anonymous Coach Comments on Texas in Athlon Sports CFB Magazine
— SEC Mike (@MichaelWBratton) May 19, 2026
"On paper, I think they’re the team to beat in the SEC.
"They might be preseason No. 1 again.” 👀 pic.twitter.com/kUy1LLNw9I
However, he's completely right about Manning having the year of experience under his belt to balance him this season, and a few shiny additions from the transfer portal at his side, thanks to Sarkisian's recruiting efforts.
Texas kicks off its season, whether the Horns are ranked No. 1 or not, with a home game against the Texas State Bobcats on Saturday, Sept. 5. One week later, they face the very team that spoiled their time at No. 1 last year: Ohio State.
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