No. 1 Texas Opens SEC Play Saturday at No. 14 Tennessee on ABC

The top-ranked Longhorns travel to Knoxville for an 11 a.m. kickoff Saturday as quarterback Arch Manning looks to rebound from a rough outing against UTSA.

Top-ranked Texas, sitting at 3-0, opens SEC play Saturday against No. 14 Tennessee in Knoxville. Kickoff is set for 11 a.m. with the game televised on ABC.

Quarterback Arch Manning completed 16 of 32 passes in last week's 30-6 win over UTSA, his worst completion percentage since the 2025 win over Texas A&M. Asked about the team's identity on Monday, he described it as a group that plays hard, tough and physical.

Head coach Steve Sarkisian said Monday that the Longhorns are a well-connected team that takes pride in its conditioning, pointing to second-half and fourth-quarter scoring across the first three games. He added that he is still learning about his team three games into the season.

Texas opened the year with a win over Texas State, then upset previously top-ranked Ohio State in Week 2 before the uneven performance against UTSA. Edge rusher Colin Simmons has been out with a foot injury, and the defense could get stronger if he returns.

The Longhorns, ranked No. 1 in the AP Top 25 for a second straight week, are one of five top-10 teams viewed as contenders for the SEC title, joined by No. 2 Georgia, No. 4 Ole Miss, No. 9 Alabama and No. 10 LSU.