One Decision Could Determine Whether Texas Wins a National Championship

The Texas Longhorns' chances of winning a national title could hinge on a few key decisions.

Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian looks on prior to a game against the Georgia Bulldogs at Sanford Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Texas Longhorns have made the expectations clear for themselves: 2026 is a national championship-or-bust season in Austin.

Playing under such pressure is something that Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian has embraced. After all, "the pride and winning tradition of The University of Texas will not be entrusted to the weak or the timid" is a historic quote within the program that Sarkisian has routinely used during his tenure.

But while there will be many different roster and personnel decisions that could end up leading Texas to a national title, there's one position group that could make or break the season.

What Texas Does at RB Could Decide Season 

Arizona State Sun Devils running back Raleek Brown (3) against the Kansas Jayhawks at Mountain America Stadium. | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

The Longhorns made it clear this offseason that the overall production at running back in 2025 simply wasn’t good in what was one of the worst rushing seasons in program history.

To put it lightly, Texas cleaned house in the backfield.

Texas parted ways with running backs coach Chad Scott after just one year with the team while also losing multiple running backs to the transfer portal, including Quintrevion Wisner (Florida State), Christian Clark (South Carolina), CJ Baxter (Kentucky), Jerrick Gibson (Purdue) Colin Page (North Texas) and Rickey Stewart Jr. (Stephen F. Austin). 

In return, the Longhorns hired former Florida running backs coach Jabbar Juluke, but it’s what both he and Sarkisian do with the team’s new-look backfield that could determine how far Texas goes on its quest for a national title in 2026.

Texas brought in a pair of experienced transfer portal running backs in Raleek Brown (Arizona State) and Hollywood Smothers (NC State) along with welcoming in dynamic true freshman Derrek Cooper to campus.

All three of these players have the skill necessary to finish as the team’s rushing leader in 2026, but it’s all about how Texas balances this three-headed monster.

If the Longhorns are able to get the explosive runs from Brown that they lacked all of last season, Texas won’t be staring a three-loss record on Selection Sunday. On that same note, red zone success from a Cooper-Smothers combination would have been nice in last year’s season-opener against Ohio State. Fortunately, they will have a chance to see exactly what that looks like when the Buckeyes come to Austin in Week 2.

There’s certainly a ton of other areas on the roster worth having questions about, but the massive changes made at running back need to pay off in a major way if the Longhorns want to end 2026 as national champions.

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