How Much of a Threat is Texas to Ole Miss in 2026?

The Ole Miss Rebels will have a tough test in Austin against the Longhorns.

Jan 8, 2026; Glendale, AZ, USA; Detailed view of the jersey of Mississippi Rebels quarterback Trinidad Chambliss (6) against the Miami Hurricanes during the 2026 Fiesta Bowl and semifinal game of the College Football Playoff at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The Ole Miss Rebels will take on the Texas Longhorns for the first time since they joined the SEC in 2024. The game will be played on October 24th in Austin, Texas.

The last time these two teams squared off was in September 2013. The Rebels won 44-23 with Bo Wallace running the offense. It's the lone victory Ole Miss has won in this series. It'll be just the sixth time these programs face each other, dating back to 1912.

Last season, Texas was ranked No. 1 in the preseason AP Poll. They fell to Ohio State in week one, won three straight, and then were stunned by Florida in Gainesville. The Longhorns won six of the last seven games, but it wasn't enough to make the College Football Playoffs. However, they could be a dangerous team next season.

The Quarterback Matchup Will Be Exciting

Nov 28, 2025; Austin, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning warms up before a game against the Texas A&M Aggies at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images | Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

Few quarterback matchups will draw a larger audience than Arch Manning and Trinidad Chambliss. Manning had sky-high expectations coming into the year, and he struggled to meet them early on. But the sophomore quarterback found a groove as the season progressed, and threw for over 3,000 yards and 26 touchdowns.

Chambliss has been granted another year of eligibility and is looking to build on a remarkable season in which he threw for nearly 4,000 yards and 23 touchdowns.

The Longhorns did a tremendous job of boosting the offense through the transfer portal. They added former Auburn wide receiver Cam Coleman and running backs Raleek Brown and Hollywood Smothers. The offensive line is also an experienced group.

The Rebels are going to have their work cut out for them. Winning in Austin is an extremely tall task. Texas has only lost one game at home since joining the SEC. The lone defeat was against Georgia in 2024. Steve Sarkisian's team defends its home field very well, and Ole Miss will be walking into a loud environment.

Heading into this game, the Rebels will be playing their third road game in four weeks. They'll be at Florida and Vanderbilt before a home game against Missouri. That makes this matchup with the Longhorns even more difficult.

Obviously, it's too early to tell where Ole Miss will be in October. They'll have to be close to full strength against Texas to have a chance to win. However, they have a lot to prove under head coach Pete Golding, and a win at DKR would be a massive confidence boost.

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