OTF Premium Ranking 2026 Road Game Excitement Levels

[CJ Vogel]

Texas only leaves the state three times in 2026, quite the flip from the trips to Columbus, Athens, Gainesville, Starkville and Lexington in 2025.

On the horizon, however, are four massive trips that are all full of intrigue.

My ranking of those road games from an excitement are as follows:

 

4. at Missouri
Nov. 7, 2026

Don't get me wrong, this is going to be a fun matchup to revisit. The Longhorns have not been to Columbia, Missouri since 2011 where a measly 5 points were put on the scoreboard by the fellas in burnt orange and white. Now, the game is rekindled for the first time since the 2017 Texas Bowl.

Missouri's $250M stadium renovation should be completed by the beginning of the 2026 season as well. I would bet this place is bumping – and cold – in early November. 

 

3. at Tennessee
Sept. 26, 2026

Pretty hard to put Neyland and Tennessee at three. The faux outrage over the Real UT will lead the conversation, but the Manning family battle will be a fun side conversation for the game as it builds up. This game coming the first weekend of SEC play is going to be a great test for Texas. I will be very much awaiting the kickoff time for this game, that will maximize the environment and test for Arch Manning.

 

2. at Texas A&M
Nov. 27, 2026

This game being the final weekend of the year and having as much impactful on the College Football Playoff and SEC Championship as we have seen over the last two years has been spectacular. Texas will return to the field where they shut out the Texas A&M offense in 2024. Of course, no other words are needed when it comes to building this game up, or the subsequent environment. Plenty of reason for excitement here.

 

1. at LSU
Nov. 14, 2026

We know the return to Kyle Field will be under the lights, and Texas can expect the exact same when they take the trip to Baton Rouge in mid-November. Of course, kickoffs under the lights are basically all LSU gets for its home games anyways, but the hype around Kiffin vs. Sarkisian and Sam Leavitt vs. Arch Manning is going to be spectacular. 

On top of Texas not receiving the return game of the home and home from the 2019-20 series, this game is one Texas fans will travel for, and it will be one that everyone in Louisiana will be prepared for. Without question my No. 1 most anticipated road game of the year for 2026.

 

 

[CJ Vogel]

Admittedly have never been to Missouri, but I am a sucker for a clean stadium rendering.

This looks fantastic.

 

[Gerry Hamilton]

Can't wait for LSU

Has just about every storyline imaginable

[diegozanna20]

Agreed, I would personally swap Tennessee and A&M though.
I think the first 4 weeks of the season are incredibly important.
If we lose against OSU the Tennessee becomes a must win game, especially since after that we have the toughest stretch of games of the season with Florida OU and Ole miss.

Has any manning played against LSU or is Arch the first of his family? I know the Manning family isn't really loved by LSU folks since no one went there.
Maybe Marshall will be the one to finally make lousiana folks proud

[CJ Vogel]

2 minutes ago, diegozanna20 said:

Agreed, I would personally swap Tennessee and A&M though.
I think the first 4 weeks of the season are incredibly important.
If we lose against OSU the Tennessee becomes a must win game, especially since after that we have the toughest stretch of games of the season with Florida OU and Ole miss.

Has any manning played against LSU or is Arch the first of his family? I know the Manning family isn't really loved by LSU folks since no one went there.
Maybe Marshall will be the one to finally make lousiana folks proud

Eli played LSU three times and went 1-2. 

Peyton never played LSU while at Tennessee/

[LonghornFan4Ever]

4 minutes ago, diegozanna20 said:

Agreed, I would personally swap Tennessee and A&M though.
I think the first 4 weeks of the season are incredibly important.
If we lose against OSU the Tennessee becomes a must win game, especially since after that we have the toughest stretch of games of the season with Florida OU and Ole miss.

Has any manning played against LSU or is Arch the first of his family? I know the Manning family isn't really loved by LSU folks since no one went there.
Maybe Marshall will be the one to finally make lousiana folks proud

Yep have to get that Ohio State game.  Imo, even if they beat Ohio State, Tennessee is a must win with the SEC going to 9 conference games.  Need more margin for error.  Don't leave it completely in the hands of the committee.  Have to get off to a better start early in the season.  11-1 and you're in 100%.  10-2 and you're almost certainly in even if you get to the SEC Championship game and lose (see Alabama last season).  9-3 and you're eliminated once again.

[CJ Vogel]

1 minute ago, LonghornFan4Ever said:

Yep have to get that Ohio State game.  Imo, even if they beat Ohio State, Tennessee is a must win with the SEC going to 9 conference games.  Need more margin for error.  Don't leave it completely in the hands of the committee.  Have to get off to a better start early in the season.  11-1 and you're in 100%.  10-2 and you're almost certainly in even if you get to the SEC Championship game and lose (see Alabama last season).  9-3 and you're eliminated once again.

Unfortunately that's just the fact of the matter imo

three losses in the current landscape is a death sentence. Just like it was in 2025.

[diegozanna20]

3 minutes ago, LonghornFan4Ever said:

Yep have to get that Ohio State game.  Imo, even if they beat Ohio State, Tennessee is a must win with the SEC going to 9 conference games.  Need more margin for error.  Don't leave it completely in the hands of the committee.  Have to get off to a better start early in the season.  11-1 and you're in 100%.  10-2 and you're almost certainly in even if you get to the SEC Championship game and lose (see Alabama last season).  9-3 and you're eliminated once again.

IMO we beat OSU and we're getting into the CFP even at 9-3, especially with that schedule.
Regardless, we beat OSU it probably means we're a really good team.
I'd be surprised to see us beat OSU at struggle against Tennessee... It's CFB, I get it, It's the SEC on the road, I get it...
I see the OSU game as a test about what's our level early on and if we do lose then Tennessee is gonna decide what the team's made out of.
No way we go 2-2 in the first 4 weeks and make it in the CFP. Way too good of a schedule to not drop at least one more game and after the first 4 weeks we'd be ranked probably in the high 20s. Hard to climb back.

[GoHorns1]

21 minutes ago, diegozanna20 said:

Agreed, I would personally swap Tennessee and A&M though.
I think the first 4 weeks of the season are incredibly important.
If we lose against OSU the Tennessee becomes a must win game, especially since after that we have the toughest stretch of games of the season with Florida OU and Ole miss.

Has any manning played against LSU or is Arch the first of his family? I know the Manning family isn't really loved by LSU folks since no one went there.
Maybe Marshall will be the one to finally make lousiana folks proud

Swap Tennessee and A$M, been to Pyle Field many times never been to Neyland Field.

[BornOrange]

My big question about Mizzou:

Have they changed the turf field that ripped up Fozzie Whitaker's knee?

[CJ Vogel]

12 minutes ago, GoHorns1 said:

Swap Tennessee and A$M, been to Pyle Field many times never been to Neyland Field.

Went with A&M ahead of Tennessee because of the late season implications it will have on the CFP/SEC hunt.

[CJ Vogel]

1 minute ago, BornOrange said:

My big question about Mizzou:

Have they changed the turf field that ripped up Fozzie Whitaker's knee?

They installed new turf in 2021.