The Texas Longhorns just dropped to fifth in the AP preseason polls, one spot lower than the coaches had ’em, and get this: they didn’t snag a single first-place vote. Five other teams did! It’s wild, especially when you consider this roster is arguably more stacked with talent than the squad that started No. 1 just last season. So what gives? Why is the country still not buying into what Steve Sarkisian is building in Austin?
Sarkisian Blew Up His Own Plan After Last Season’s Fizzle
Sarkisian isn’t shy about taking responsibility, saying he “failed our team a year ago” after the 2025 season. Think about it: they kicked off that season ranked No. 1, then stumbled to a 10-3 record and watched the College Football Playoff from home, finishing No. 13 in the final rankings. That’s a gut punch. Those losses? A 14-7 defeat at Ohio State in Week 1, a head-scratching 29-21 loss to a 4-8 Florida team, and a third straight defeat to Georgia. You can’t just brush that off. Sarkisian knew something had to change, and fast.
He didn’t waste any time after the season, either. He surprisingly fired defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski, who’d been with him for five years! To replace him, he brought back Will Muschamp, who ran the Texas defense from 2008 to 2010 and was once a head coach in waiting. And get this: Sarkisian even changed his whole team-building strategy, moving it from August to February this year. He turned July into competitions over push-ups and landmarks, even a scavenger hunt where Arch Manning’s team and Colin Simmons’ team literally argued over who won a photo finish. Simmons, by the way, said “It really was a tie. He could think he won, but he didn’t win.” No winner was declared, but the message was clear: competition everywhere.
47 New Players and All-American Talent Still Can’t Shake the Doubt
You can’t say Sarkisian didn’t try to fix the roster. He signed a mind-blowing 47 new players, including the nation’s No. 3 transfer class. We’re talking about legitimate game-changers like receiver Cam Coleman and running backs Hollywood Smothers and Raleek Brown. This list of newcomers reads more like an All-American team than a typical portal haul, and it’s why many argue this squad is more talented than last year’s No. 1 preseason team. So why the side-eye from the SEC media, who picked Georgia to win the league with 88 votes to Texas’ 57? Why did Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss edge Manning for first-team All-SEC quarterback?
The skepticism is real, whether it’s tied to Sarkisian’s track record falling short of SEC titles and deep CFP runs, or Arch Manning’s “slow start” last season. That whole “Texas is back” narrative has become more of a meme than a declaration, and it’s clearly hanging over the program. Even with oddsmakers listing Texas among the shortest national title prices in the sport , heck, first in the SEC , and Manning near the top of the Heisman board, the polls and media aren’t fully convinced.
Sarkisian isn’t backing down, though. He laid it out plain and simple: “We’re competing for an SEC championship this year, and we’re competing for a national championship. It is what it is. We’re at the University of Texas.” The talent is there. The changes are in motion. The question is, can they finally shut up the critics and prove everyone wrong? This season is going to be a wild ride.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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