Greg McElroy: Texas Longhorns Have Championship-Caliber Roster for 2026 Season

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The 2025 college football season capped off with the Indiana Hoosiers winning their first national championship. After the historic win over the Miami Hurricanes, every team has entered the offseason with eyes on 2026.

The Texas Longhorns are one program looking to bounce back. They entered Week 1 of last season ranked first in the AP Top 25 Poll. However, after going 9-3 in the regular season, they failed to make the College Football Playoff.

ESPN’s Greg McElroy believes the Longhorns are poised to improve in 2026.

“If Arch Manning stays healthy and Colin Simmons can turn into the SEC Defensive Player of the Year, I think Texas is a lock for the College Football Playoff,” McElroy said. “They have the roster of a national champion. They have one of the best quarterbacks in the country in Arch Manning.”

Manning didn’t necessarily live up to the Heisman Trophy hype in 2025. He threw for 3,163 yards, 26 touchdowns and seven interceptions while completing 61.4% of his passes. He also rushed for 399 yards and 10 touchdowns.

Steve Sarkisian and his staff have made a clear effort to surround the quarterback with more talent going into next year. The offensive line has seen four players added via the transfer portal.

Manning also has a new weapon in former Auburn Tigers wide receiver Cam Coleman. He was ranked as the top No. 2 player to hit the portal this offseason. With 18 total additions, Texas has the ninth-ranked transfer portal class.

However, McElroy also noted the Longhorns’ 2026 schedule isn’t a cake walk. Four of their 12 opponents finished 2025 of the AP Top 25 Poll. That includes the Ole Miss Rebels (No. 3), Ohio State Buckeyes (No. 5), Texas A&M Aggies (No. 8) and Oklahoma Sooners (No. 13).

Related: Ohio State Shares Carnell Tate Honor After Third Season

This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Jan 29, 2026, where it first appeared in the College Football section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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