The Hidden Problem With Texas Football’s 2026 Schedule

This stretch of games will test the Texas Longhorns, from high-powered conference opponents to unfamiliar programs.

Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning reacts after running for a touchdown during the second half against the San Jose State Spartans at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Texas could have one of the toughest schedules in college football in 2026. With games against Ohio State, Oklahoma, LSU and Texas A&M — all four of which played in last season’s College Football Playoff — the Longhorns will go through the wringer.

There are some clear advantages to the schedule, like travel, or the lack thereof. The Longhorns leave the Lone Star State just three times all year, once before the bye week and the other two in consecutive weeks.

With three road games in four weeks, the final month of the Longhorns’ schedule could prove to be one of the toughest stretches of the season.

Texas Faces Uphill Battle in Final Month of SEC Schedule

Texas Longhorns running back Quintrevion Wisner leaps over Texas A&M Aggies cornerback Will Lee III during the first half against the Texas Longhorns at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The most difficult stretch of opponents on Texas’s schedule might be Weeks 4 through 8, with games at Tennessee, vs. Oklahoma (Dallas), vs. Florida and vs. Ole Miss. However, the Longhorns benefit from a bye week between Tennessee and Oklahoma, with just one true road game.

Tennessee, Ole Miss and Oklahoma could all be ranked in the preseason AP Poll, and Florida upset Texas last season in Gainesville, Fla. The opening four-game stretch of the SEC schedule will be unforgiving, but the final four games may be just as difficult for other reasons.

• at Missouri Tigers (Faurot Field, Columbia, Mo.) — Sat. Nov. 7
• at LSU Tigers (Tiger Stadium, Baton Rouge, La.) — Sat. Nov. 14
• vs. Arkansas Razorbacks (DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium, Austin, Texas) — Sat. Nov. 21
• at Texas A&M Aggies (Kyle Field, College Station, Texas) — Fri. Nov. 27

On Nov. 7, Texas travels to Columbia, Mo., to play the Missouri Tigers in the morning. It will be the Longhorns’ first true road game since Sept. 26, over 40 days later. It's the start of a stretch of road games that will test Texas's resolve.

Texas Longhorns defensive back Kobe Black and teammates react after making an interception during the second half against the Texas A&M Aggies at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

LSU and Texas A&M will be difficult games to close out the regular season. Tiger Stadium and Kyle Field are known for being two of the rowdiest environments in college football. Both teams also have something to prove against Texas.

Both weeks could be night games for Texas on the road. The Black Friday game against Texas A&M is scheduled to kick off at 6:30 p.m. CT in front of a hostile College Station crowd. Meanwhile, the game at LSU has flexible scheduling, kicking off any time from 2:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.

And despite sharing a conference, Texas is not familiar with LSU or Missouri. LSU has played Texas twice since 1962, most recently in 2019. They also have a new coach this season: Lane Kiffin.

Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian has not faced Kiffin in a head-coaching matchup since the two were in the Pac-12 in the early 2010s, when Sarkisian led Washington and Kiffin led USC. The last time Texas played Missouri was in 2017, when Sarkisian was with the Atlanta Falcons and Missouri head coach Eliah Drinkwitz was with NC State.

Texas has the opportunity to enter the final stretch of its season with plenty on the line. The Longhorns are hoping to contend for an SEC title and a national title. They will earn their stripes throughout the season, and the schedule will challenge them from the beginning to the end.

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