The No. 1 Texas Longhorns start their 2026 SEC gauntlet in hostile territory Saturday. Knoxville, Tennessee will be loud and rabid as the No. 16 Volunteers host the top-ranked Longhorns. No doubt coach Steve Sarkisian, quarterback Arch Manning and company will get tested.
Which sparked a fierce warning from one national championship winning coach. Especially one who knows Neyland Stadium well.
Former Florida and South Carolina head coach Steve Spurrier chimed in on the matchup. And he dropped a prediction that will grab the attention of Texas fans.
What Steve Spurrier Predicts for Texas at Tennessee
“The Ol’ Ball Coach” told Chris Low of On3/Rivals who he believes will win this contest.
“I think Tennessee is ready to pull the upset over Texas. The Vols can beat them in Knoxville,” Spurrier boldly said.
He reminded fans of what happened in 2025 when Spurrier’s Gators took on a highly-ranked Texas squad.
“Hell, we beat them down here last year, and we went 4-8. Yep, beat Texas. How about that?” Spurrier proclaimed.
What’s at Stake for Texas at Tennessee
So this contest is being hyped as the battle of “UT’s.” Since the Longhorns are often referred to as “University of Texas.” But Tennessee also uses “University of…” with its own T.
But this contest carries early SEC implications. Especially for the conference title picture and with members of the College Football Playoff committee watching.
A Volunteers win shakes up the top 25 but stretches beyond that. Knocking off the Longhorns will spark early theories of Tennessee becoming the team to beat in the SEC and nation. Plus ignites early conversations for who takes the driver seat for the No. 1 seed in the December postseason. But a Texas victory continues to embolden how loaded this Longhorns team is, and how the road to the SEC title or No. 1 spot goes through them.
Is This a Legacy Game for Josh Heupel?
Such a win rises as the latest statement victory for coach Josh Heupel too.
Heupel owns a dismal 3-6 record against teams ranked in the top 10. However, he and the Vols are no stranger to pulling off upsets in SEC play.
Their 2022 matchup versus Alabama surfaces as one memorable example. Tennessee stunned a Nick Saban-led Crimson Tide team in a wild 52-49 upset in Neyland. Many Vols fans recall that result as the one that catapulted Tennessee back into national prominence, as the Vols stunned the No. 3 team in the nation. He also beat the No. 7 Tide in 2024, but that Alabama team was led by Kalen DeBoer.
Heupel can certainly boost his record over .500 against the Longhorns. Texas owns a 1-1 record against him, but that dates back to his Oklahoma Sooners days when Heupel played quarterback. Saturday marks his first meeting against the ‘Horns since 2000, which ended in a OU 63-14 stomping.
But count Spurrier as a big backer of Heupel and the Vols heading into Saturday. Displaying the belief that college football will see its second top-ranked team go down during the regular season. Only this time the Longhorns after their huge win over previous No. 1 Ohio State.
National Champion Winning Coach Fires Off Warning to No. 1 Texas