Honestly, if you took a nap on New Year’s Eve and just woke up, the Forty Acres looks like a completely different planet. The latest Texas Longhorn football news is coming at us fast. It's chaotic. It's expensive. And if we’re being real, it’s exactly what Steve Sarkisian needs after that bitter pill of a 10-3 season.
Missing the College Football Playoff hurt. There’s no other way to put it. Watching the committee slot Texas at No. 13 back in December felt like a slap in the face to a team that, on its best day, could run with anybody in the country. But that 35-10 loss to Georgia and the stumble against Florida basically sealed the deal.
Now? The focus has shifted entirely to 2026. The transfer portal window is slamming shut on January 16, and Sark is out here playing high-stakes poker with the roster.
The Arch Manning Era is Officially Here
We’ve talked about it for years. We’ve watched the highlights. We’ve seen the mop-up duty. But with Quinn Ewers moving on, this is finally, definitively, Arch Manning’s team.
The kid looked like the real deal in the Citrus Bowl. Putting up 41 points on Michigan with only nine starters from the regular season? That’s not nothing. Arch’s "ground and air assault," as some were calling it, gave us a glimpse of a more mobile, vertical offense that might actually survive the SEC gauntlet.
But here’s the thing: Arch can’t throw touchdowns from his back.
That’s why the biggest latest Texas Longhorn football news isn't about the quarterback—it’s about the massive humans protecting him.
👉 See also: Calendario de la H: Todo lo que debes saber sobre cuando juega honduras 2025 y el camino al Mundial
Fixing the Trenches or Bust
Sarkisian is currently chasing Colorado transfer Jordan Seaton like his life depends on it. Seaton is the No. 1 offensive tackle in the portal. Rumors are swirling about a $2.5 million NIL price tag. Is it a lot? Yeah. Is it worth it? Ask Arch Manning when a 300-pound SEC defensive end is screaming off the edge.
Texas already secured Jonte Newman from Texas A&M. Taking talent from College Station always feels a little sweeter, doesn't it? Newman has four years of eligibility left. He’s 6'6", 315 pounds, and likely slides into one of those vacant guard spots left by DJ Campbell and Cole Hutson.
Then you’ve got Dylan Sikorski coming in from Oregon State. Between Newman, Sikorski, and potentially Seaton, Sark is trying to build a wall. He knows the 2025 season fell apart because the interior line got bullied in the big games.
Will Muschamp’s New Look Defense
If the offense is about protection, the defense is about pure, unadulterated speed.
Bringing in Will Muschamp as the new Defensive Coordinator was a "chess, not checkers" move. He wasted zero time. The commitment of Rasheem Biles from Pitt is arguably the biggest win of the offseason so far.
Biles is a freak.
17.5 tackles for loss.
Two pick-sixes.
101 tackles.
✨ Don't miss: Caitlin Clark GPA Iowa: The Truth About Her Tippie College Grades
He’s the "track and smack" linebacker Texas hasn't had since... well, maybe Anthony Hill Jr. last year, but Biles brings a veteran nastiness that this unit lacked in the second half of the season.
Who’s In and Who’s Out?
The portal is a revolving door. It’s exhausting to keep up with, but here’s the gist of where the roster stands as of mid-January:
The Departures (The Ouch List):
- Christian Clark: The RB depth took a hit when he decided to enter the portal on January 11.
- CJ Baxter & Tre Wisner: Losing both veteran backs to the portal before the bowl game was a shocker.
- Jaime Ffrench: The highly-touted freshman wideout is gone after just one season.
The Arrivals (The Hope List):
- Cam Coleman: The Auburn transfer is the deep threat Arch needs.
- Hollywood Smothers: Flipped from Alabama. Yes, you read that right. Sark took a running back from Bama.
- Raleek Brown: The Arizona State transfer adds that "lightning" element to the backfield.
Looking Toward the 2026 Schedule
Sarkisian caught some heat recently for questioning the value of "high-profile non-conference games" when the CFP committee doesn't seem to reward them.
He’s got a point.
🔗 Read more: Barry Sanders Shoes Nike: What Most People Get Wrong
Texas lost to Georgia by 25 and dropped seven spots. Alabama loses by 21 and drops one? The math isn't mathing. But regardless of the griping, the 2026 schedule is a monster. Ohio State is coming to Austin. That game alone will determine if Texas is a pretender or a contender before SEC play even starts.
The good news? The 2026 recruiting class is currently ranked No. 1 in some circles when you combine the high school kids and the portal additions. Dia Bell, the successor-in-waiting to Arch, is already making waves as one of the best QB prospects in the country.
What You Should Watch Next
If you're trying to stay ahead of the curve, keep your eyes on the January 16 portal deadline.
If Jordan Seaton commits, Texas instantly becomes a preseason Top 5 team. If they miss on him, the pressure on guys like Trevor Goosby and Brandon Baker to play perfectly becomes immense.
Also, watch the linebacker room. With Muschamp at the helm, don't be surprised if Texas adds one more veteran safety or edge rusher before the window shuts. The goal isn't just to win the SEC—it's to make sure that 10-3 "disappointment" never happens again.
Check the 247Sports Transfer Tracker daily this week. The final pieces of the 2026 puzzle are being fitted right now.
Actionable Insights for Longhorn Fans:
- Monitor the Trenches: The success of Arch Manning depends entirely on the Seaton/Newman/Sikorski triangle.
- Value the "Lightning": Raleek Brown and Cam Coleman are the keys to stretching defenses that dared Quinn Ewers to throw deep last year.
- Trust Muschamp: The defensive scheme is going to be more aggressive. Expect more blitzes and higher TFL numbers in 2026.
The 2026 season officially starts in the weight room this month, but it's being won in the portal today.