Texas is a heavy favorite over Texas State on Saturday. The coach of the Longhorns is not treating the game that way.
Steve Sarkisian spoke Wednesday on the Southeastern Conference coaches' call and offered a direct assessment of the Bobcats ahead of their Week 1 matchup. He did not hold back.
"Don't be surprised at the end of November if they're not in the talk of making the College Football Playoff," Sarkisian said. "I think Texas State's a really good team. So they've got our attention, they've got our players' attention and that's where our focus is."
According to Yahoo Sports, the statement was not entirely typical coach-speak. Texas State enters 2026 as a legitimate Group of Six contender, and the case for the Bobcats is grounded in specifics.
Head coach GJ Kinne is one of the more productive offensive coaches at the mid-major level. Since his time at Incarnate Word, he has never fielded an offense that averaged fewer than 35 points per game. In 2026, he retained his starting quarterback for the first time in his head coaching career. That quarterback, Brad Jackson, finished sixth last season in total points accounted for. Jackson also has two returning 1,000-yard wide receivers at his disposal in Chris Dawn Jr. and Beau Sparks.
Texas State's defense has been a weak point under Kinne. He responded by revamping the coaching staff before the team's debut in the Pac-12, which is now in a revival phase after its previous collapse. With an offense that can score at a high rate, the defense does not need to be elite, only functional.
The Bobcats do not need to beat Texas on Saturday to make a CFP run. The path to the Group of Six automatic bid in the 12-team bracket runs through the rest of their schedule, not necessarily through the Longhorns. Sarkisian acknowledged that Texas will likely win the game. The point, he suggested, is that Texas State is capable of making noise well beyond it.
Saturday's game in Austin is part of a packed Week 1 slate. CBS Sports noted that 90 games involving FBS teams are scheduled, including Lane Kiffin's debut as LSU head coach against Clemson, where the Tigers open as 10-point home favorites. The only ranked matchup of the weekend comes Sunday, with No. 9 Ole Miss hosting No. 24 Louisville. No. 1 Ohio State opens at home against Ball State as a 50.5-point favorite.
Texas State's opener against the Longhorns kicks off what Kinne and his staff hope will be a statement season in the program's new conference home.