Steve Sarkisian (HC) – Now in his fourth season as the head coach of the Longhorns, Steve Sarkisian is leading Texas through their first season as members of the SEC. He made the playoffs for the first time as a head coach last season but fell short to Washington in the Sugar Bowl. This year, Sarkisian has Texas primed as the No. 1 team in the country. His team is undefeated and will likely remain so unless Georgia can make a statement on the road. This is the SEC, however, and anything can happen.
Quinn Ewers (QB #3) – Making his first start last weekend against Oklahoma since week three, quarterback Quinn Ewers is back in full control of the Texas offense. Having not played since suffering an oblique injury on September 14, some were skeptical about his return. Ewers completed 20 passes for 199 yards, a touchdown, and an interception. During his time on the bench, Arch Manning, former Georgia target, proved himself to be a valuable commander of the Longhorn offense. Ewers and Manning have both shown their ability to be starters, but for now, Ewers’ experience keeps him at the helm.
Isaiah Bond (WR #7) – The leader of Texas’ receiving room is former Alabama receiver Isaiah Bond. You may remember Bond from Bama’s 4th and 31 miracle touchdown to defeat Auburn in the Iron Bowl last season. Last week, Bond was unable to play in the second half after suffering what was reportedly a minor ankle injury. His agent posted on X, “Just spoke to @isaiahbond_, he’s out for the rest of the game but nothing major.” Even with this time out, Bond has 21 receptions for 369 yards and 3 TDs on the year. He will likely be good-to-go against the Dawgs and will be a headache for a vulnerable Georgia secondary.
Kelvin Banks, Jr. (LT #78) – In his third year with the Longhorns, Kelvin Banks, Jr. has started in every single game of his collegiate career. The highly-regarded left tackle was recently named SEC lineman of the week on September 30. Among analysts, Banks, Jr. is projected to be an early first round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. Some even say he may be a day one starter in the NFL. With Georgia’s seemingly weaker secondary, it will be crucial for the Dawgs’ defensive line to make their way past Banks, Jr. and Co. to put pressure on Ewers.
Anthony Hill, Jr. (LB #0) – With 42 total tackles on the season in just six games, Anthony Hill, Jr. is on top of the defensive stat sheet by a large margin. He checks every box there is in terms of being one of the nation’s best linebackers. In addition to his tackles, Hill, Jr. has 4.5 sacks, an interception which he returned for 32 yards, and a forced fumble.
Jahdae Barron (Safety #7) – Another Longhorn projected to go early in next year’s NFL Draft is Jahdae Barron. In his fifth year with Texas, he is tied for sixth in program history for non-offensive touchdowns. Barron has three touchdowns that came from a blocked punt, an interception, and a fumble recovery. This season, he already has four pass breakups, an interception, and a fumble recovery. Carson Beck needs to keep an eye out heading into Austin, Texas.
Colin Simmons (EDGE #11) – True freshman Colin Simmons was one of the nation’s top edge rushers in the 2024 high school class. During his junior and senior seasons, he helped lead Duncanville High School to two 6A D-1 state championships. Eventually, Simmons earned five stars as a recruit and an offer from his home state’s most prominent university. Thus far, Simmons has 23 total tackles and four sacks.
When it comes to Texas gridiron legends, Earl Campbell is at the top of the list. ‘The Tyler Rose’ won the 1977 Heisman Trophy and led the Longhorns to an 11-0 regular season.
Ben Crenshaw won two national championships for the Texas golf team, and went on to an outstanding PGA Tour career, highlighted by winning the Green Jacket at The Masters in 1984 and 1995.
Cliff Gustafson is one of the most renowned coaches in baseball annals. Over 29 seasons, he led the Longhorns to 17 College World Series appearances and two national titles.