Texas Football: The 3 most dangerous games remaining on the Longhorns’ schedule
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While other top-5 ranked teams began their season against the Marshalls and Nevadas of the world, Texas was rudely introduced to the 2025 season by “The” Ohio State University’s rebuilt national championship-caliber defense.
Despite another big loss on the national stage all is not doom and gloom for the Longhorns, as the new version of the College Football playoffs has already shown us thanks to the Buckeyes that you can lose at least 2 games and still bring home a natty. The Longhorns bounced back in Week 2 with a 38-7 win over San Jose State. They host UTEP in Week 3, but let’s be real — the real danger lies ahead in SEC play.
Here’s a list of the 3 most dangerous games left on Texas’s schedule, as 2 more losses would all but end the Longhorns dream of ending their 20-year national championship drought.
Texas first trip ever “Between the Hedges” in Athens
After losing to Georgia in Austin by 15 and then again in the SEC championship game by 3 in overtime, Texas must find a way to beat the defending conference champions in their backyard. Fortunately for Texas, the formula for victory over the Bulldogs is very simpl,e although it will be very difficult to execute.
For Texas to avoid the Georgia landmine and win in its inaugural trip to Athens to keep its national championship hopes alive, it must run the ball and stop the run. In last season’s matchups, Texas was only able to muster 29 and 31 total rushing yards while allowing Georgia to rumble for 108 and 141 yards on the ground. That pretty much sums up why Georgia went 2-0.
If Arch Manning and company are going to get what would be the best victory of his young career, Texas’s young offensive line must improve and learn from the lessons given to it by Ohio State. Also, Sarkisian must exhibit patient play calling against Georgia and let the Longhorns’ talented running back duo of Quintrevion Wisner and C.J. Baxter cook.
Despite going against an NFL-like defense in Ohio State in Week 1, both backs averaged 4 yards or more a carry and could have impacted the game more if Texas did not abandon the run game so early. This mistake must be corrected if Texas’s inaugural trip “Between the Hedges” is going to be successful.
Dodging Gator revenge in “The Swamp”
In college football, revenge is a prevalent thing when playing in a Power 4 conference full of very powerful and prideful programs. With the revenge factor extremely in play, Texas’s most-dangerous game behind the trip to Athens will be their trip to “The Swamp” in Gainesville, where Florida will be looking to avenge a 49-17 loss to Texas in Austin last season.
A key to beating Florida in one of the toughest venues in college football will be how good Texas can play defense in a must-win SEC game. If the Week 1 game against Ohio State is any indication, Texas’s defense is more than capable of controlling a game in a hostile environment as it gave the Buckeyes’ offense all it wanted despite the loss.
The trip to “The Swamp” will be Manning’s first road start in SEC play. Yes, the Gators just fell at home to USF, but if anything, that actually might make Billy Napier‘s squad more dangerous. A Gator with its back against the wall is a scary thing, indeed.
The Longhorns would be smart to lean on Colin Simmons, Anthony Hill Jr. and company in this one against a tough and talented Florida squad. Although Texas dominated Florida’s offense in last year’s matchup, this season will be a lot different and harder as Florida sophomore quarterback DJ Lagway will test the Longhorns’ talented defense on every level.
The Red River Rivalry Is a Must Win
Like most big-time rivalry games any and everything can and has happened over the years in “The Red River Rivalry” game against Oklahoma.
Once you peel back the layers and take the emotions out of the game, this season’s matchup is a must-win for both teams. For Texas, a win would be a statement in Dallas in SEC action and set up the Longhorns to be in great position going through the second half of the season despite their slip up against Ohio State last week.
On the other hand, a loss would put the Longhorns’ championship aspirations on life support as Texas would have lost against top 15 opponents twice and might be forced to run the table the rest of the way just for a shot at a Playoff berth. A common theme in all of the Texas potential roadblock games will be how good will Manning be on these different big stages.
Because if he’s the guy we’ve heard about for over the last year, then we will see improved quarterback play and Manning making big plays in key situations to win games consistently. If Manning turns into a bust, Texas will morph into the most disappointing team in the nation and there will be a lot of questions to be answered by Sark and company.
Against Oklahoma, he’ll need to out-duel John Mateer, who has garnered some early season Heisman buzz thanks to his strong play. Crazy things happen in Dallas, so make sure to have that one circled on your calendars.
Kendrick E. Johnson writes for various national outlets such as High School on SI, Yardbarker, ESPN Andscape and MMA Weekly. He is an independent print journalist, sports television reporter and multimedia journalist who has covered the NBA Finals, NFL, NCAA football, MLB, NHL, WWE and over 75 world championship boxing and UFC Fights nationally. Johnson has also covered every prep sport possible in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and all across the great state of Texas. He’s done numerous 1-on-1 interviews with some of the biggest names and personalities in sports from Kobe Bryant, Stephen Curry and Shaq on the basketball side to Jon Jones, Canelo Alvarez and Terence Crawford on the combat sports side and John Cena, Jey and Jimmy Uso and Charlotte Flair in WWE.
