Longhorns Head Coach Steve Sarkisian Chasing Greatness in SEC Head Coaching Rankings

The Texas Longhorns football program has the chance to make the 2026 season one of the most memorable in program history.

This will be a team stacked with talent, and the expectations are that the Longhorns should be a contender for the national championship. Some even believe the Longhorns are the best team in the SEC coming into the new season.

It's a season that could put head coach Steve Sarkisian in an elite category among the greatest head coaches of this era. One of the latest SEC head coaching rankings also believes the hype on Sarkisian heading into the new year.

A Top Dog

NEW: SEC head football coach rankings‼️

(via @Clowfb) https://t.co/trgYxg2Eo2 pic.twitter.com/d70YWf7UO6
— On3 (@On3) June 15, 2026

Chris Low of On3 has the Longhorns' head coach as the second-best coach in the SEC as teams prepare for the 2026 season. The only coach ahead of Sarkisian is the only coach with national championship wins, Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart.

Sarkisian is entering his sixth season in Austin. It didn't take long for Sarkisian to build something special with this football program. After a 5-7 season in his first year with the program, Sarkisian has put together four straight winning seasons, and the last three seasons have finished with 10 or more wins.

Getting To The Top

Nov 15, 2025; Athens, Georgia, USA; Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian gestures after a game against the Georgia Bulldogs at Sanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

Is there a world where Sarkisian is the top coach in the SEC after this season? Probably not. However, there's a chance to get closer to the top spot. Plus, a potential date against the Bulldogs in the SEC Championship could be one where everyone comes back to this ranking.

Interesting Matchup

Dec 1, 2025; Baton Rouge, LA, USA; LSU president Wade Rousse, left, LSU new head coach Lane Kiffin and LSU athletic director Verge Ausberry stand together at South Stadium Club at Tiger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images | Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images

Looking a little closer at the rankings, there's a major clash of top three coaches set for later in the 2026 season when the Longhorns meet the LSU Tigers and Lane Kiffin.

Kiffin was the most sought-after coach in the carousel this past season. After bringing in a top transfer class and an elite recruiting class, the glass ceiling has already been broken for Kiffin before he has even coached a game in Baton Rouge.

The winner of this game may be in a clear position of the second-best coach in the SEC, but that's not going to be good enough for either.

These rankings are fun to talk about as fans pass the time for the start of a new season. However, in reality, they may not matter as much. The best way for Sarkisian to prove he is one of the top coaches in the conference is by stacking up wins.

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