By: Colin Lacy

TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services

Entering year three in the SEC, most are becoming comfortable with the Texas Longhorns and the SEC being in the same sentence.

Texas has racked up a 23-6 record as a member of the Southeastern conference the past two seasons, and year three looks to be much more of the same as the Longhorns were picked 4^th in the preseason coaches poll.

If there has been a knock against the burnt orange, it’s been the performances when the lights are the brightest.

Last season, two of the three losses came against Georgia in a dominant 35-10 Bulldog victory and a 41-27 shortcoming at the hands of the Michigan Wolverines in the Citrus Bowl.

2024 was more of the same. It was a pair of missteps against Georgia that accounted for two of the three losses for the Longhorns.

One of those Georgia matchups was a highly built-up regular season matchup in Austin where the Bulldogs out physical-ed Texas to the tune of 30-15, with the other coming in the SEC Championship with Georgia edging the Longhorns 22-19 on a late Gunnar Stockton touchdown.

2024 was a magical season for Texas with the run to the Cotton Bowl in the semifinals of the College Football Playoff and the folks in Austin are hoping (and expecting) a repeat of that in 2026.

The name Arch Manning has been talked about in the lone-star state since what feels like Texas was still in the SouthWEST Conference, but the now fourth-year quarterback is poised to take the next step leading the Longhorns.

Manning has racked up a 12-3 record as the starter for Texas with over 4,100 yards through the air and 49 total touchdowns.

There has been so much scrutiny on Manning (some because of the name, some because of what he did in his high school career) but most of that has been from the national media.

Locally in Austin, it’s been the trajectory that was expected from the now junior. Manning played two games in his true freshman season then split time with Quinn Ewers in 2024 as the redshirt freshman. Last year took over in a hugely productive season, now looks to take the next step into dominance under center.

Much of the excitement heading into the season revolves around some key transfers, especially on the offensive side of the ball. In the backfield along Manning will be NC State transfer Hollywood Smothers. Smothers averaged 6.1 yards per carry in 2 years with the Wolfpack and was one of the most heralded transfers in the class.

The receiver’s room has been retooled with the addition of Sterlig Berkhalter from Wake Forest, and Emmett Mosley from Stanford along with the premier transfer Cam Coleman from Auburn.

All that talent couples with 2^nd team All-SEC wide-out Ryan Wingo returning.

On the defensive side, the biggest addition may be one wearing a headset as Steve Sarkisian hired longtime defensive guru Will Muschamp as the defensive coordinator.

The former head coach at South Carolina and Florida has spent the past five years as various positions on staff for Georgia returns to Austin after leading some of the toughest Texas defenses from 2008-2010.

Sixth year head coach Steve Sarkisian has rebuilt the Texas football brand into a national power and looks to take the next step this season and reach the pinnacle of college football.

There is a lot of buzz around this Texas program and well warranted. The Longhorns have quickly become a perennial pick to be in Atlanta the first weekend of December for the SEC Championship (while it still exists), but that just scratches the surface of what could be coming home to Bevo this year in Austin.