Texas has released its 2026 college football schedule, and the lineup reads like a gauntlet of elite competition. Games against Ohio State, Oklahoma, LSU, and Texas A&M — all participants in the 2023 College Football Playoff — headline a slate that promises little respite for the Longhorns.
A schedule stacked with playoff pedigree
The upcoming season will see the Longhorns leave the comfort of home only three times, but those trips are anything but easy. The most demanding stretch arrives in Weeks 4 through 8, when Texas will face Tennessee, Oklahoma, Florida and Ole Miss in rapid succession. A bye week sandwiched between the Tennessee and Oklahoma matchups offers a brief breathing room, yet the pressure will only mount as the schedule tightens.
Road trips and rivalry revivals
The final quarter of the season is a marathon of away games that will test the team’s resolve. Texas will travel to face Missouri, then head to Baton Rouge to meet LSU, and finish the regular season at College Station against Texas A&M. Both LSU and Texas A&M are renowned for their rowdy, intimidating stadiums, making those environments some of the toughest in the nation.
Adding another layer of intrigue, LSU will enter the season under new head coach Lane Kiffin, whose offensive philosophy could reshape the Tigers’ approach. Meanwhile, Texas A&M’s tradition of fierce rivalry games adds another dimension of intensity to the Longhorns’ road tests.
Title aspirations under a microscope
Despite the daunting road ahead, Texas remains focused on contending for both the SEC championship and a spot in the national title conversation. Head coach Steve Sarkisian has assembled a roster that includes standout players such as Quintrevion Wisner, Will Lee III and Kobe Black, each of whom will be counted on to deliver performances that match the schedule’s rigor.
The team’s ability to navigate this challenging calendar will likely define its season narrative. With only three guaranteed home games, the Longhorns must turn each road venue into a proving ground, and the outcomes of those contests could reverberate far beyond the regular season.