The Texas Longhorns feel like they’re one of the top College Football Playoff contenders in the country heading into the 2026 season.
They’re not the only ones, of course. Curt Cignetti and the Indiana Hoosiers (yes, the Indiana Hoosiers) are the defending national champions, and they’re going to be a tough out.
Mario Cristobal and the Miami Hurricanes were a few plays away from winning it all last season, and they believe they can make another CFP run in 2026.
You also can’t count out Ryan Day and the Ohio State Buckeyes, who are just one season removed from winning the CFP.
Steve Sarkisian and the Longhorns have a stacked team heading into 2026, though, and the proof is in the pudding.
On3, a college football-centric website, recently published its preseason All-American team, and four Longhorns found themselves named first-team preseason All-Americans.
The Longhorns led the nation with those four first-teamers, while Ole Miss (another contender) had three and Indiana and Oregon (yet another contender) had two each.
The impressive thing about the Longhorns’ roster is that the player most people know, quarterback Arch Manning, didn’t even make the list.
The four first-teamers were offensive tackle Trevor Goosby, EDGE Colin Simmons, linebacker Rasheem Biles and running back/wide receiver Ryan Niblett, who is arguably the best kick-return specialist in the country.
