Note: This story is featured in the 2026 edition of Dave Campbell's Texas Football's Summer Magazine, which you can order here.

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Texas began last season as the preseason No. 1 in the AP Poll for the first time in school history. The Horns ended last year on the outside looking in, missing the College Football Playoffs for the first time since 2022 despite knocking off Texas A&M and Oklahoma – two teams that did make the field.  

Head coach Steve Sarkisian, now entering Year 6 on the Forty Acres, says that he can identify four or five plays from all three losses that could’ve not only changed the outcome of those games, but also propelled his program back into the CFP. He brings up the two failed fourth-down conversions deep in Ohio State territory and the two fourth-down conversions that Georgia used to distance themselves in a game that was 14-10 in the third quarter as examples.  

But by the end of the year, the Longhorns were undeniably one of the best 12 teams in the country. And as Miami proved, once you’re in the dance, you have a shot. Sark would’ve liked to have seen his team get a shot. The problem? The committee’s job is to select the 12 most deserving teams, not the 12 with the best power ranking.  

“I can unequivocally say we were one of the best teams in the country at the end of the season,” Sarkisian said in the spring. “Now, we didn’t do enough to earn an opportunity in the playoff, but I sure would have liked to see us in that playoff because I think we could have beaten any of the teams that made it.” 

Texas entered 2025 with a young team. Key players such as quarterback Arch Manning were high profile recruits with lofty expectations and a lack of experience. The Horns suffered through inconsistent play, especially early in the season, as those players, including Manning, found their sea legs. The uneven performances against San Jose State and UTEP. The loss at Florida. The near losses to Kentucky and Mississippi State. Texas at its best was great. Texas on the other weeks was average.  

Two deep playoff runs might’ve blinded Sarkisian and GM Brandon Harris to some deficiencies in the roster heading into 2025. The Longhorns weren’t as aggressive in the portal as the other contenders, instead relying on multiple Top 5 recruiting classes to replace what left after the semifinal run in 2024. The calculation was off. They needed an influx of talent at a couple of key positions, especially along the offensive line and at running back.  

Texas won’t make the same mistake twice. The Horns were aggressive in the 2026 transfer portal, signing superstars such as wide receiver Cam Coleman, running back Raleek Brown, and linebacker Rasheem Biles. They’ll combine a loaded roster haul with a talented pool of returning starters and up-and-comers.  

“The one thing that we’ve learned is we must stay light on our feet and we’ve got to be willing to pivot and adapt and change with the times,” Sarkisian said about the new-look roster construction. “Our job is to put the University of Texas in the best position to be successful and that requires not being stuck in our old ways.” 

But some things don’t change in Austin. Sarkisian & Co. are in a relentless pursuit to win a championship. That includes the SEC and the national title. The Horns will enter 2026 as one of the favorites to win the crown. Manning will be one of the betting favorites to win the Heisman. The roster is loaded. And Will Muschamp is back in town to lead the defense. The table is set. And Sarkisian is confident in his team.  

“I think the thing that gives me the most confidence is the connectivity down in that locker room,” he said. “That’s a credit to the leaders on this team and that bond to go along with the talent is going to help us persevere through some of the tough times that we’ll have this fall.”