The Texas Longhorns open the 2026 college football season ranked No. 4 in the USA Today Coaches Poll—but Steve Sarkisian, Arch Manning and Texas may also face the toughest schedule in America.

The Longhorns are set to battle seven preseason Top 25 teams, including No. 1 Ohio State, No. 8 Texas A&M, No. 9 Oklahoma, No. 10 Ole Miss, No. 13 LSU, No. 18 Tennessee and No. 25 Missouri. Even more brutal: five of those ranked matchups will be played away from Austin.

Can Texas survive road trips to Knoxville, Baton Rouge, Columbia and College Station while handling Ohio State and Ole Miss at DKR? We break down the schedule, the biggest trap games and what it means for Texas’ College Football Playoff chances.

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