How Much of A Threat Is UTSA to Texas in 2026?

The Texas Longhorns head into the 2026 season with plenty of high-level expectations being internally as well as the majority of the noise coming from outside sources. The Longhorns should be prime candidates to be a top-five preseason team and have a good shot at being the preseason No. 1 team in the country for the second year in a row.

The Longhorns will have to be ready to get the 2026 season started on the right foot with the season opener coming against the Texas State Bobcats. The very next week, Texas faces its first legitimate challenge, hosting the Ohio State Buckeyes, who will also very likely be ranked as one of the top teams in the country.

And while the level of competition drops down a notch the following week, the Longhorns will still have to be prepared as they welcome in a team that will also travel up Interstate 35 in the UTSA Roadrunners. The Longhorns host the Roadrunners on Sept. 19 as UTSA will look to pull off a massive upset.

UTSA Faces A Tough Mountain to Climb Against Texas

UTSA Roadrunners head coach Jeff Traylor against the South Florida Bulls | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

Looking at the talent on the rosters, the Longhorns undoubtedly outmatch the Roadrunners and will head into the matchup as the heavy favorites to take care of business. However, football isn't decided or won on paper, as Texas will have to avoid overlooking UTSA, especially with a tough road battle against the Tennessee Volunteers slated for the week after.

The Roadrunners come off another winning season in 2025, ending the year with a 7-6 record and their third straight bowl game victory under head coach Jeff Traylor. The UTSA head coach has built the Roadrunners into a competitive program since arriving ahead of the 2020 season.

Traylor has created sustained success in San Antonio, as the Roadrunners head coach is yet to have a losing season in his six seasons at the helm, with a 45-21 record. UTSA earned its first-ever conference championships under Traylor, winning the back-to-back Conference USA titles in 2021 and 2022.

With the successes that Traylor has built with the Roadrunners, UTSA won't be a simple task that the Longhorns can just overlook when they meet up in week three of the season. Especially as the Roadrunners return veteran quarterback Owen McCown and a total of 19 players out of the transfer portal that will hit the field in 2026.

The Longhorns should feel confident about their chances when it comes to clashing against the Roadrunners; however, nothing is ever certain in football. UTSA, on the other hand, will look to make the game competitive and to shock the college football landscape with a win over Texas on its home field.

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