Texas Lands 5 of Top 10 2026 Games as Arch Manning Drives College Football Spotlight
Updated
Updated · USA TODAY · Aug 13
Texas Lands 5 of Top 10 2026 Games as Arch Manning Drives College Football Spotlight
3 articles · Updated · USA TODAY · Aug 13
Summary
Five of the season's 10 marquee matchups involve Texas, with Arch Manning cast as a central draw in tests against Ohio State, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, LSU and Texas A&M.
Sept. 12's No. 1 Ohio State at No. 4 Texas opener is framed as Manning's biggest early measuring stick after he struggled against the Buckeyes in their 2025 meeting.
Nov. 7 stands out as the schedule's deepest Saturday, led by No. 2 Oregon at No. 1 Ohio State and No. 7 Miami at No. 5 Notre Dame, both with playoff and Heisman stakes.
Indiana's Oct. 17 home game against Ohio State is another bellwether, testing whether the defending champion can back up its title run despite opening 2026 ranked outside the top five.
The list underscores how the regular season remains college football's main stage, with rivalry games and heavyweight conference clashes likely to shape the playoff bracket.