# Texas football season preparations > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/texas-football-season-preparations > Updated: 2026-08-22T13:56:39.000Z. Sources: 12. Developments: 3. Texas high school and collegiate football programs are advancing their preparations for the 2026 season. In southern Denton County, the Argyle Eagles enter the year following a 12-2 season. While the team is transitioning from quarterback Maguire Gasperson, they return seven offensive and five defensive starters, with Hayes Hackney expected to take over the quarterback position. Liberty Christian begins a new era under first-year head coach Josh Martin following Jason Witten’s departure to the University of Oklahoma. At the collegiate level, the University of Texas Longhorns remain a focal point, ranked in the top four of the coaches poll. Led by quarterback Arch Manning, the Longhorns are preparing for a schedule that includes matchups against Ohio State, Tennessee, Missouri, LSU, Texas A&M, and Oklahoma. Key players expected to impact the Longhorns' campaign include wide receiver Cam Coleman, freshman Jermaine Bishop Jr., and linebacker Rasheem Biles. In the SEC, betting odds currently favor the Georgia Bulldogs, followed by Texas, Oklahoma, Alabama, and LSU. The broader college football season is set to begin with Week 0, featuring eight FBS matchups, including the FBS debuts of North Dakota State against Jacksonville State and Sacramento State. Other notable developments include the MEAC/SWAC Challenge featuring Howard and Alabama A&M, and St. Thomas beginning its second season as a Division I program. ## Timeline ### 2026-08-22: College football prepares for the 2026 season kickoff The 2026 college football season is set to begin, featuring major storylines across the SEC, Big Ten, and FBS, including North Dakota State's debut and key matchups for Texas and Ole Miss. 11 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/sec-football-programs-prepare-for-2026-season ### 2026-08-14: Texas football programs prepare for 2026 season Texas football enters the 2026 season with high expectations for both high school programs like Argyle and Liberty Christian, and the top-ranked University of Texas Longhorns. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/texas-football-programs-prepare-for-2026-season ### 2026-08-06: Texas Longhorns Enter 2026 Season as Championship Contenders Texas Longhorns start 2026 as SEC co‑favorites, with +330 odds and a 70% playoff chance, while freshmen Jermaine Bishop Jr., Tyler Atkinson and others could earn early roles under coach Steve Sarkisian. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/texas-longhorns-enter-2026-season-as-championship-contenders --- Cite as: Texas football season preparations. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/texas-football-season-preparations