5 Bold Predictions for Texas Longhorns' 2026 Season

The Texas Longhorns are a week away from beginning the 2026 season, marking the start of a long journey that won't end until the program hoists the national championship trophy in February.

With a revamped roster and multiple new faces in critical positions for head coach Steve Sarkisian, the Longhorns will face myriad expectations, just as they did last year.

With high expectations, though, come electric plays through the season, so what are five bold predictions for the 2026 season from the Texas Longhorns On SI staff?

A Texas WR Breaks Jordan Shipley's Single-Season Record

Texas Longhorns wide receiver Emmett Mosley V (3) runs the ball in the first half against the Georgia Bulldogs at Sanford Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Longhorns have a roster riddled with talent, but perhaps no position group has the perfect combination of depth and star power like the receiver room. With Cam Coleman as the new potential favorite target for Manning, the pairing should connect early and often in the season.

Jordan Shipley's single-season receiving record is 1,485 yards, and if the Longhorns play 17 games this season, the maximum possible, one wideout on the team would only need to average 88 receiving yards per game, a very manageable number that can be offset by big games.

The Longhorns' offense is expected to be very high-octane, and with a very attainable number, a record could be broken this season.

Texas Ends the Season with Two 1,000-yard Wide Receivers

Texas Longhorns Cam Coleman — Auburn Tigers wide receiver Cam Coleman (8) celebrates his touchdown as Auburn Tigers take on South Alabama Jaguars at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn, Ala. on Saturday, Sept. 13, 2025. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

A lot of the attention and expectations for the Longhorns headed into the 2026 season rest on the shoulders of the Texas offense for good reason. Texas has one of the better quarterbacks in the country in Arch Manning, who has a dynamic duo of wide receivers at his disposal.

Steve Sarkisian has yet to have two 1,000-yard wide receivers in his long coaching career, and the combination of Cam Coleman and Ryan Wingo could give him a very good shot at it.

Coleman is the deep threat, who will strive with a quarterback like Manning who can push the ball down the field as he develops the rest of the route tree. And Wingo's explosiveness and YAC ability were evident as Texas No. 1 option in 2025.

The duo's unique skill sets give the Texas offense an elite combination that could see two wide receivers with 1,000 yards at the end of the season.

- Ylver Deleon-Rios

Arch Manning Breaks Colt McCoy's Single-Season Total Yards Record of 4,420

Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning (16) runs with the ball against the Michigan Wolverines during the first half at Camping World Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Manning finished his first full season as a starter with 3,163 passing yards and 399 rushing yards, leaving him 859 yards short of McCoy’s mark. His strong finish provides a blueprint for closing that gap; over the final six games of the season, he averaged around 320 total yards per game. Over a 12-game span, that pace would put him at around 3,840 yards.

Add an SEC Championship appearance and a few games in the College Football Playoff, and McCoy’s record suddenly comes within reach. Combine that late-season surge with an upgrade around him, and the possibility doesn’t seem too far-fetched.

- Leo Barnes

Texas Will Lead the SEC in Sacks

Texas Longhorns defensive end Colin Simmons (1) celebrates with the golden hat following the Red River Rivalry college football game between the University of Oklahoma Sooners and the Texas Longhorn at the Cotton Bowl Stadium in Dallas, Texas, Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Texas will lead the SEC in sacks this season, and the biggest reason is its combination of elite edge talent and defensive depth. Junior Colin Simmons, who led the SEC with 12 sacks last season, returns as one of the nation’s most dangerous pass rushers.

The Longhorns also have defensive end Lance Jackson and defensive lineman Justus Terry, giving Texas more talent and depth along the defensive front. With a full season of defensive coordinator Will Muschamp finding ways to move Simmons around and create favorable matchups, Texas has the personnel to consistently pressure opposing quarterbacks.

If the Longhorns can turn that pressure into sacks at a similar rate to last season, they have a strong chance to finish 2026 with the SEC’s most productive pass rush.

- Phoenix Haigis

NFL Teams Will Be Tanking For Manning by Week 9

Manning's problems last season were all experience-based, with another off-season of seasoning under his belt and the best roster he has ever had, he will takeoff in 2026.

Once teams start realizing they are not Super Bowl contenders, they will start doing whatever they can to get a passer who runs, avoids sacks and can access all areas of the field

- Carter Long

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