{"id":457045,"date":"2026-10-05T15:36:13","date_gmt":"2026-10-05T15:36:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/457045\/"},"modified":"2026-10-05T15:36:13","modified_gmt":"2026-10-05T15:36:13","slug":"what-texas-has-proven-through-the-first-month-and-what-it-still-hasnt","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/457045\/","title":{"rendered":"What Texas Has Proven Through the First Month and What It Still Hasn’t"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Texas Longhorns <\/a>got the chance to sit back and watch the rest of the SEC go to battle as they enjoyed their bye week, sitting at 4-0 and still as the No. 1 team in the country following the latest AP Top 25 Poll on Sunday.<\/p>\n

The Longhorns<\/a> now come out of their week off straight into the Red River Rivalry, battling bitter foe the Oklahoma Sooners. The Sooners head to the Cotton Bowl looking to find their footing as Oklahoma sits unranked and with a 2-2 record this season.<\/p>\n

As both the Longhorns <\/a>and Sooners know, rankings do not matter in the Red River Rivalry, and both teams will look to secure bragging rights. The Longhorns have had up-and-down performances at times through the first four games of the season; here’s a look at what Texas has proven and what it still needs to show.<\/p>\n

What Texas has ProvenWill Muschamp’s Defense is For Real\"Texas<\/p>\n

Texas Longhorns defensive coordinator Will Muschamp observes his players before a game against the UTSA Roadrunners at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect<\/p>\n

It was a hot topic of discussion over the offseason when Steve Sarkisian opted to part ways with former defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski and hire Will Muschamp to lead the Texas defense in 2026. And through four games of the season, Sarkisian’s decision has paid off.<\/p>\n

Muschamp’s unit currently stands as one of the best defenses in the SEC ranking, No. 1 in scoring defense, No. 3 in sacks, No. 4 in total and passing defense and No. 5 in rushing defense.<\/p>\n

And at the national level, the Texas defense is one of the best in the country, ranking No. 4 in sacks, No. 14 in tackles for loss, No. 15 in first down defense, No. 22 in total defense, No. 23 in red zone defense, and No. 26 in passing and rushing defense.<\/p>\n

The Longhorns’ defense now has a much more aggressive playing style implemented by Muschamp, and that style is paying off.<\/p>\n

Texas Can Be a Big Game Winner\"Texas<\/p>\n

Fans celebrate with Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning (16) following the NCAA football game against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Darrell K Royal\u2013Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin, Texas on Sept. 12, 2026. Texas won 24-23. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect<\/p>\n

The Longhorns have already played two massive games in the first four weeks of the season, hosting then No. 1 Ohio State and then heading out on the road to battle then No. 14 Tennessee at Neyland Stadium.<\/p>\n

Texas has proven it has the resilience in big moments after coming back from a 23-3 second-half deficit with three consecutive scoring drives in the fourth quarter to beat Ohio State. And the Longhorns tuned out the noise and secured an SEC road win in one of the toughest environments to play, beating the Volunteers.<\/p>\n

The Longhorns have plenty of big games still remaining on their schedule, and through four games, Texas has proven it can rise to the occasion.<\/p>\n

The Ground Game Feels Different\"Texas<\/p>\n

Texas Longhorns running back Hollywood Smothers (2) runs for forty-five yards during the first quarter against the Texas State Bobcats at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect<\/p>\n

Sarkisian spent the offseason completely reshaping his running back room after what was a horrendous year running the football a season ago. <\/p>\n

And while the numbers certainly don’t pop off the stat sheet through four games of the season, the running back room led by Hollywood Smothers and Raleek Brown is giving a different look to the Texas offense, which it didn’t have a year ago.<\/p>\n

Smothers and Brown have been able to force their wills at times, and with Smothers getting back to full health and Brown staying steady, the duo plus freshman Derrek Cooper will be needed as Texas gets deeper into SEC play.<\/p>\n

What Texas Hasn’t ProvenArch Manning Hasn’t Looked Like a Worldbeater\"Texas<\/p>\n

Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning (16) runs against the Tennessee Volunteers during the second half at Neyland Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect<\/p>\n

Arch Manning was expected to light the world on fire heading into the season with a new cast of weapons and a full year of starting experience under his belt and he hasn’t quite done that. <\/p>\n

The quarterback has been hot and cold so far, showing glimpses of the quarterback he can become while still dealing with misthrows and bad decisions. Manning has completed 63.5 percent of his passes for 862 yards, averaging 215.50 yards per game, which ranks No. 9 in the SEC, with seven touchdowns and three interceptions.<\/p>\n

There’s still plenty of time in the season for Manning to improve and find his groove, and the Longhorns will need him to reach that level with the challenges they still have to face this year.<\/p>\n

The Rest of the Offense Also Lacks Consistency\"Texas<\/p>\n

Texas Longhorns wide receiver Cam Coleman (8) catches a touchdown pass while defended by UTSA Roadrunners cornerback RJ Lester Jr. (13) during the first half at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect<\/p>\n

The Longhorns have not played a complete game on the offensive side of the ball all season, with the offense sputtering on several occasions.<\/p>\n

While Manning has struggled at times, the running game has also had up-and-down moments. The ground game has shown sparks of brilliance and domination while being shut down at times, especially in the Longhorns’ last game against Tennessee.<\/p>\n

The offensive line has looked better but had a rough time in its last outing, giving up six sacks to the Volunteers. And the pass catchers have been reliable, but Texas needs more out of its big-time offseason acquisition, wide receiver Cam Coleman.<\/p>\n

Penalties Are Still an Issue\"Texas<\/p>\n

Texas Longhorns defensive lineman Colin Simmons (1) celebrates after a sack of Tennessee quarterback Faizon Brandon (11) during their game at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn. on Sept. 26, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect<\/p>\n

The Longhorns had plenty of problems they had to fix from a year ago, and penalties were close to the top of the list, as Texas ranked 132nd out of 136 in penalties. <\/p>\n

While Texas has made slight improvements, it’s still towards the bottom of the country in penalties ranking, No. 89 nationally, averaging 62.5 yards in penalties on 6.3 flags per game. And the Longhorns’ penalty issues looked bad against Tennessee, as Texas committed 11 penalties for over 100 yards.<\/p>\n

The Longhorns need to be much more disciplined heading into the rest of their SEC slate and avoid beating themselves with unnecessary penalties.<\/p>\n

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