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In the SEC, iron sharpens iron. It is a conference deep in defensive talent, forcing the best offenses to grind out every score.
According to ESPN’s Bill Connelly, the SEC has the highest average defensive SP+ rating, a tempo- and opponent-adjusted measure of college football efficiency. Five of the 10 teams with the highest initial SP+ ranking for the 2026 season are members of the SEC.
Texas is trying to return to the basics this season, and Arch Manning has an arsenal of weapons to help him take down any team. Which talent-filled rosters will give him the most trouble in his redshirt junior year?
The 3 Most Difficult Defenses on the Texas Longhorns’ Schedule
3) Oklahoma
Oklahoma Sooners defensive back Eli Bowen tackles Texas Longhorns wide receiver Ryan Wingo during the first half at the Cotton Bowl. | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images
Oklahoma does not come without its concerns. The Sooners struggle to defend Texas every season despite their impressive year-to-year defensive metrics. The team also lost several key pieces this offseason, like defensive linemen R Mason Thomas and Gracen Halton.
However, Oklahoma’s defense has gotten better every season under head coach Brent Venables, one of the smartest defensive minds in college football. Their metrics last season were too good to ignore, including finishing second in the nation in adjusted EPA per play allowed and havoc rate.
The roster is still plenty talented, too. Defensive backs Peyton and Eli Bowen, defensive linemen David Stone, Taylor Wein and Jayden Jackson and linebacker Owen Heinicke could all contend for All-SEC honors this season.
Oklahoma has to prove it can hold its own against Texas during the Steve Sarkisian–Venables era. However, the pieces are there for the Sooners to have another elite unit.
2) Alabama
Alabama defensive back Keon Sabb celebrates his interception with teammates Alabama linebacker Nikhai Hill-Green and defensive back Bray Hubbard at Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium. | Gary Cosby Jr.-Imagn Images
The Alabama Crimson Tide had an under-the-radar, productive defense last season. The Tide allowed 19.2 points per game (20th in the nation), forced more than a turnover per game, including 11 total interceptions, and recorded 33.0 sacks.
The roster is stacked. Keon Sabb and Bray Hubbard form arguably the best safety tandem in the country, while cornerback Zabien Brown rounds out an elite pass defense. Yhonzae Pierre is on NFL radars heading into his redshirt junior season.
More should come from Alabama after losing in the SEC title game last season, and the Tide's defense should be elite.
1) Ohio State
Ohio State Buckeyes linebacker Arvell Reese tackles Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning on a run in the first quarter of their game at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio, on Aug 30, 2025. | Kyle Robertson/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Week 2 is going to be a great test for Manning and the Longhorns — not just because of the talent on Ohio State’s roster but because it provides a strong comparison point for last season. Texas could hardly capitalize on its offensive opportunities in 2025, and it was punished with a season-opening loss.
This season, attention will be on Manning as fans anticipate his bounce-back performance against the Buckeyes. With Cam Coleman, Ryan Wingo and a two-headed running back room, Texas has the offensive firepower.
However, Ohio State has the right players for the job. Safety Earl Little Jr. and defensive linemen Qua Russaw and James Smith form a strong transfer portal class, joining proven returners like edge rusher Kenyatta Jackson Jr.
Ohio State was among the top offenses on Texas’s schedule, and things will not be any easier on the other side of the football.
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