The burnt orange sky isn't falling, but it sure felt like it for a minute there. If you’ve spent any time around Austin lately, you know the vibe. It’s a mix of "we’re back" and "please don't let the kicker miss." Honestly, following Steve Sarkisian and Texas football is basically a full-time job at this point.
One day you're watching Arch Manning drop a 60-yard dime that makes you want to build a statue, and the next, you're looking at a box score from a November game in Lexington that makes your eyes bleed. That’s the reality of the 2025 season. It was messy. It was loud. It was quintessentially Texas.
But here is the thing: the 5-7 ghost of 2021 is officially dead. Sark has built something that doesn't just rely on "tradition" or fancy donor money. He’s built a pro-style factory that finally looks like it belongs in the SEC.
The 2025 Rollercoaster: What Really Happened
Let’s get the ugly stuff out of the way first. 2025 wasn't the "undefeated coronation" some fans expected after the 2024 playoff run. Texas finished the regular season at 9-3. For a lot of schools, that’s a parade-worthy year. In Austin? It felt like a minor crisis.
The low point was definitely that 35-10 beatdown by Georgia in Athens. It wasn't just that they lost; it’s that they looked physically overwhelmed. That’s the SEC for you. It’s a league where if you don't have a "heavyweight" defensive line, you're basically a snack.
Then there was the Kentucky game. A brutal, ugly overtime win that had fans questioning if the offense had actually gone backward. Quinn Ewers was gone to the NFL, and Arch Manning was officially the guy. Being "the guy" at Texas comes with a spotlight that could melt steel. Arch flashed Heisman-level brilliance, sure, but the consistency wasn't there yet.
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Why the Defense Saved the Season
While everyone was arguing about quarterbacks, the defense was quietly carrying the team. Pete Kwiatkowski’s unit was solid, but it lacked that "SEC teeth" until recently.
- Colin Simmons is a flat-out problem for offensive coordinators. The sophomore EDGE led the SEC with 12 sacks in 2025.
- Anthony Hill Jr. basically lived in the opponent's backfield, racking up 103 tackles and 16.5 tackles for loss.
- The secondary, led by Malik Muhammad, finally stopped giving up those soul-crushing 40-yard bombs that used to haunt this program.
Steve Sarkisian and Texas Football: The Identity Shift
The biggest news heading into 2026 isn't a player. It’s the staff. Sarkisian did something that most coaches are too proud to do: he fired his defensive coordinator after a top-15 finish. Bringing in Will Muschamp is a massive statement.
Sark knows that "pretty" football doesn't win national titles in this conference. Muschamp brings that "in your face" defensive style that Texas has lacked since the early Will Muschamp era (yes, the first one). The goal is simple: stop the run with four guys and make the quarterback’s life a living hell.
Sarkisian is also trying to fix the running game, which, let’s be honest, was subpar in 2025. You can't be a "tough" team if you can't get two yards on 3rd and 1. The exits of CJ Baxter and Tre Wisner left a void, but the portal has been kind.
The Portal "Spending Spree"
Texas currently has what many consider the best transfer portal class in the country for 2026.
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- Cam Coleman: The former Auburn superstar wideout is the crown jewel. He’s the type of "X" receiver who wins 50/50 balls in his sleep.
- Raleek Brown: An explosive all-purpose back from Arizona State.
- Hollywood Smothers: A former Alabama commit via NC State who brings that "home run" speed.
- Ian Geffrard: A 387-pound human mountain from Arkansas. If you want to win in the SEC, you need guys who require two or three blockers. Geffrard is that guy.
The Arch Manning Factor
We have to talk about Arch. People act like he’s a finished product because of his last name. He isn't. He’s a sophomore who showed that he can throw the ball through a needle, but he also showed that he can get rattled by a complex blitz.
Sark’s scheme is notoriously hard on quarterbacks. It’s why guys like Quinn Ewers eventually thrived—it takes time to learn the checks and the "NFL-style" processing. In 2025, Arch completed about 68% of his passes for 939 yards in limited action/starts, but the expectations for 2026 are astronomical.
With Cam Coleman and Ryan Wingo on the outside, Arch has zero excuses. This is the most talented receiving corps Texas has had since the Shipley/Cosby days. Maybe even more talented.
The NFL Draft Factory
You want to know why Steve Sarkisian and Texas football is winning on the recruiting trail? Look at the draft.
- 2024: 11 players drafted.
- 2025: 12 players drafted (a school record).
- Total: 23 players in two years.
That is more than any other program in the country over that span. Sark is telling recruits, "Come here, win games, and I’ll get you a million-dollar paycheck in three years." It’s a pitch that works. He’s turned Austin into a developmental hub that rivals Alabama and Georgia.
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What Most People Get Wrong About Sark
There’s this narrative that Sark is just a "scheme guy" who can't win the big one. That’s ignoring the context of where Texas was when he arrived. This program was a mess. It was soft. It was entitled.
He didn't just change the playbook; he changed the weight room. He changed the nutrition. He changed the "I’m a star" attitude that used to sink the Longhorns every October. He survived a 5-7 start and didn't panic. That takes a specific kind of mental toughness that he likely picked up during his "rehabilitation" years under Nick Saban.
The 2026 Outlook: National Title or Bust?
Honestly, the window is wide open. The 12-team playoff format means a 9-3 or 10-2 Texas team is almost always in the mix. But with the roster they’ve assembled for 2026, just "making the playoff" isn't going to be enough for the folks in the suites at DKR.
The schedule is still a gauntlet. They are the most traveled team in the SEC this year. They have to deal with the mental hurdle of the Georgia-Alabama-Texas A&M trio. But for the first time in fifteen years, Texas actually has the depth to survive an injury to a star player.
Actionable Insights for the 2026 Season
If you're betting on or just following Texas this year, watch these three things:
- The O-Line Continuity: They are replacing four starters. If the new group doesn't gel by Week 4, Arch Manning is going to be running for his life, regardless of how fast his receivers are.
- The Muschamp Effect: Watch the "free-access" throws. If Texas is still playing 10 yards off the receivers on 3rd and 5, the coaching change didn't work.
- The Run Game Efficiency: Look for the "G-C-G" (Guard-Center-Guard) play. Sark needs the interior of his line to be dominant to let Raleek Brown and Smothers do their thing.
Texas isn't just "back" in the sense that they are winning games. They are back in the sense that they are a legitimate, scary, SEC-caliber machine. The 2026 season will either be the year Steve Sarkisian cements his legacy with a ring, or the year the "Arch Manning era" faces its toughest reality check.
Keep an eye on the spring game in April. That’s where we’ll see if the Muschamp defense is as aggressive as advertised. If you see the defense pressuring the quarterback on every snap, buy your tickets now. It’s going to be a wild ride.