One Former Coach Believes Texas and Oklahoma Have a Major Schedule Disadvantage

Texas football's 2026 schedule has been released, and after a difficult slate of opponents in 2025, next season's schedule may pose similar problems.

Looking for a chance to go back to the college football playoffs, one college football analyst believes the Longhorns and a longtime rival in the conference have two of the SEC's most difficult schedules.

SEC Network's Gene Chizik says the Oklahoma Sooners and Longhorns have two of the toughest schedules in the conference this season due to an early bye in the SEC.

Texas and Oklahoma May Suffer the Effects of an Early Bye

Texas Longhorns Oklahoma Sooners 2026 Schedul — Nov 28, 2025; Austin, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns running back Quintrevion Wisner (5) runs for yards past Texas A&M Aggies safety Dalton Brooks (25) during the second half at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images | Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

“What is the downside? That they have to finish the season with eight straight SEC games when it means the most," Chizik said, according to On3. "No rest, no bye weeks, nothing. An eight-game run for Texas and OU. That’s tough sledding, I don’t care who you’re playing.”

Texas opens SEC play against Tennessee and, following a bye, will play eight straight conference games to close out the season. Some of the most formidable opponents in this eight-game stretch include Oklahoma, Florida, Ole Miss, Missouri, LSU and Texas A&M.

Oklahoma's schedule follows the same design. After playing Texas following the bye week, they face Florida, Ole Miss, Texas A&M and Missouri. Aside from the opponents, the most difficult aspect of both these schedules is the frequency. As Chizik stated, playing eight straight in college football's most difficult conference is a heavy load for both programs.

A positive for the Longhorns' upcoming schedule is that they will not be on the road as much as they found themselves this past season. In 2025, Texas had five conference games on the road or at a neutral location, four of which occurred consecutively in October.

In 2026, Texas holds the same number of away or neutral games, but they are spread much more favorably throughout the season, including a three-game home-stretch for the Longhorns in October. The games Texas does have on the road will be no easy contests, however, facing Tennessee, LSU, Missouri and Texas A&M.

Looking to get back in the college football playoffs and perhaps find themselves on a national championship run under head coach Steve Sarkisian and quarterback Arch Manning, the Longhorns have a difficult, but surmountable, schedule ahead of them.

A young team returning bigger, stronger and much more accustomed to its SEC competition, Texas should be an opponent to look out for in conference next season.

The opening game of 2026 will take place against Texas State on September 5th.