Steve Sarkisian and the Texas Longhorns sit at 3-0 and hold the No. 1 ranking in the latest AP poll.

Led by star quarterback Arch Manning and a revamped defense under defensive coordinator Will Muschamp, there is a ton of optimism in Austin that this could be the Texas team that finally gets Sarkisian over the top. A quarter of the way through the 2026 college football regular season, it is a great time to evaluate just how good this Longhorns squad truly is.

Like any program, Texas has players who have ascended and become tremendous assets. Breakout stars have emerged. There are also some who have underwhelmed to this point. Here are seven big winners on this team through three games and three potential “losers” who still have things to answer for over the next nine regular season contests.

THE WINNERS

Big play weapons

While the Texas offense is still figuring things out, there is no question that there is a lot of big-play ability in both the wide receiver and running back rooms.

At wide receiver, Cam Coleman and Ryan Wingo have combined for six touchdowns, 24 receptions, and 343 yards as a tandem. Hollywood Smothers and Raleek Brown in the running back room are both known for explosiveness and dynamic ability in space.

With all four of those players alongside a quarterback in Manning who is a dynamic runner himself, the Longhorns have a collection of offensive weapons with the ability to create explosive plays. That could matter most in the biggest contests down the stretch.

Texas pass protection

The offensive line has been very good in terms of keeping Manning clean so far. Star offensive tackles Trevor Goosby and Melvin Siani have lived up to expectations in the pass protection game. Manning has had a lot of time as a passer, which is a great sign for the sustainability of this Texas passing offense over the next nine-plus games.

Colin Simmons

Through three games, Colin Simmons leads the team with 3.5 tackles for loss and two sacks. It has become a little boring to talk about the 6-2, 255-pound pass rusher, but Simmons is the heartbeat of this defense. All he does every single week is make big plays. He is a consistent force against both the run and the pass. Texas fans should make sure to appreciate him over the course of the season, which will most likely be his last in Austin. He is a fantastic football player.

Early big-game presence

In years past under Sarkisian, it felt like that Ohio State game would go sideways in a hurry. The resolve this team showed during its 24-23 victory over the Buckeyes showcased that this might finally be the Texas squad that can get back to the mountaintop. It is early and the sample size is small, but the ability to deliver big performances in those types of contests is a great sign for the next step.

Defensive coordinator Will Muschamp

Making the change at defensive coordinator was a controversial decision before the season, but the defense has looked very good under Muschamp through three games. Texas is averaging just 12 points allowed per game, and the unit really stiffened in the second half against Ohio State. The Longhorns are allowing only 109 rushing yards per game and just 178 through the air. The defense has shown improvements on the back end in the secondary, and the defensive line is loaded with talent. This projects as a very good unit.

Improving secondary

Jelani McDonald was the known product on the back end heading into the season, but Texas has gotten encouraging signs from Rutgers transfer Bo Mascoe, especially in the Ohio State game, along with players like Kade Phillips and Graceson Littleton. If this secondary continues to improve, it projects favorably as one of the most complete defenses Austin has seen in quite some time.

Arch Manning’s resolve

Things could have gone sideways in that Ohio State game. One of the big reasons they did not was the resolve from the star quarterback. Manning did not flinch, and he made several huge plays in the second half. From the second half of the 2025 season until now, whenever Manning has a rough game, he usually comes back with a better one. He hardly ever backs down, which is a great sign for his potential long NFL career. There will be peaks and valleys, especially when your last name is Manning, but he has shown he will not shrink from a challenge.

THE LOSERS

Arch Manning’s consistency

While the flashes and big-play moments have been great to see, consistency remains a major issue for Manning. That Ohio State game is the perfect example. Manning was very up and down in that contest. He made some big plays in the most opportune moments, but the first half featured a lot of misses, and there were some in the second half as well. He simply made a couple of big plays when it mattered most.

Then there was his game against UTSA, which was one of the worst games he has ever played for Texas. On a week-to-week basis, Manning is just so up and down. The talent is incredible, and the 6-4, 230-pound pocket passer still has eliteness in him, but the consistency has not fully arrived yet.

Continued drop issues

While Coleman and Wingo are tremendous talents at wide receiver, they have been plagued by inconsistency with their hands. There are far too many drops, and it has shown up in multiple games. They will need to be more sure-handed, especially when the games begin to matter a little more and potentially during a deep playoff run.

Run game efficiency

As a unit, the Texas offense has rushed for 175 yards per game, which is a solid number, but efficiency has not been a strong suit. Smothers has run for 198 yards and two touchdowns with just 4.8 yards per carry. Brown has run for 129 yards at just 4.2 yards per carry. No player on this offense has averaged more than five yards per carry outside of Ryan Niblett, who has carried the ball just twice.

The run game is something that usually travels, and if Texas is going to make a deep playoff run and potentially win a national championship, that rushing attack will need to be a lot more consistent than it has been through three games.