The SEC released the 2026 conference schedule for all 16 teams on Thursday night, giving Texas and college football fans something to chew on before bowl season and the College Football Playoff begins. It's safe to say that the Longhorns have some intriguing matchups ahead on the path back to Atlanta.

Texas and Tennessee will settle the battle of orange-clad schools in Knoxville to open the conference slate, kicking off the revamped scheduling format that features nine conference games. The

AUSTIN, Texas — The Texas Longhorns will see some new faces during the 2026 football season. Following a 9-3 regular season, the Longhorns' 2026 football schedule will introduce some new SEC teams to the Burnt Orange, while also seeing some iconic rivalries renewed once again. Here is the Longhorns' 2026 football schedule:

Once again, no surprise that one of the Longhorns' biggest rivalry games should be one of their toughest matchups of the year. The 2026 edition of the Red River Rivalry between Texas and the Oklahoma Sooners is set for October 10 at the iconic Cotton Bowl in Dallas, TX.

There are two notable differences in this year’s schedule. First, there are no longer two bye weeks on each team’s schedule. The way the calendar fell in 2024 and 2025, there were 14 available Saturdays from late August/early September and late November for teams to play 12 games. That changes in 2026.

Find single game tickets to the Texas A&M Aggies vs. Texas Longhorns college football Week 14 matchup on Friday, November 28, 2025 at DKR-Texas

This home-heavy season could very well lead Texas to control its own destiny down the stretch as it comes to the SEC championship conversation and the CFP bracket. The Longhorns went undefeated at DKR-TMS in 2025 and have only lost one game at home in the past three years.

As Texas football takes a developmental approach to its preparation for the Citrus Bowl against Michigan, the game could offer a preview for 2026.