Texas Longhorns 2026 Football Preview: Can Arch Manning Lead Texas to a National Championship?

The Texas Longhorns have all the pieces in place, from head coach Steve Sarkisian to quarterback Arch Manning, to get them far in the College Football Playoffs.

Arch Manning #16 of the Texas Longhorns runs with the ball during the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl game between the Michigan Wolverines and the Texas Longhorns

Last year, Manning rightfully earned the starting spot and made a difference right away. With his athleticism, he was one of the best dual-threat quarterbacks, amassing 399 rushing yards. His legs put defenses in a difficult position knowing that a pass play could easily turn into a rushing play if Manning sees an open hole on the line. Overall, his playmaking ability is what set him apart from other quarterbacks, and there’s nothing to say the same thing won’t happen this season. I go into more depth comparing Manning to Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin in this article.

Texas didn't have a big running game last season, so naturally this off-season they made some moves. The Longhorns shored up their backfield by grabbing former Arizona State running back Raleek Brown who had 186 carries for 1,141 yards (20th in yards rushing last season). They’re looking for Brown to come in and start changing what running the ball means at Texas. Alongside him, Coach Sark brought in some offensive lineman from the portal to try and rebuild the O-line for Brown and Manning. Hopefully, by bringing all these new pieces they can build chemistry over this off-season and make a run in the CFP.

The wide receiver position at Texas also has a new face. Former Auburn wideout, Cam Coleman, is poised to be Manning’s number one option going into this season. Last year, Coleman had 56 receptions for 708 yards and 5 touchdowns. While these numbers aren’t overly impressive, he put up those stats on a run-first team. On a team like Texas, Coleman should be getting more looks his way. His floor is 900+ yards this coming season. Texas also has returning wide receiver Ryan Wingo, who had 54 receptions and 834 yards for 7 touchdowns. With Wingo and Coleman on either side of the field, it'll be hard for defenses to effectively cover both of them. 

And of course, like always, a team cannot win a championship without a solid defense, and the Longhorns defense looks strong this year. Arguably the best edge rusher in the league, Colin Simmons, will be returning this year. And alongside him are Hero Kanu and Lance Jackson, both returning D-linemen, who each had a heavy impact last year. The key defensive backs are Jelani McDonald, Bo Mascoe, and Derek Williams. There are also some new faces on campus at the linebacker position. Rasheem Biles is a player who will definitely bring some aggressive A-gap pressures. And lastly, defensive coordinator Will Muschamp returns to Austin. He was the Longhorns’ defensive coordinator from 2008 to 2010. His first time as defensive coordinator at Texas his defense was known for their aggressiveness and hard hitting. During his time there Texas had 119 total sacks and in 2009 his defense led them to the BCS national championship game. Coach Muschamp has an extensive history with some of the best defenses in college history and will no doubt make an impact this coming season.