Be honest, whenever we talk about ‘undefeated champions’ in women’s college basketball, everyone’s mind usually jumps straight to the Gamecocks or the Huskies. But the fact that the first women’s team to ever finish a season as undefeated national champions was actually the 1985–86 Texas Longhorns. Their one and only title. They followed it up with a few deep runs in the years after. And now, in his fifth season, Vic Schaefer has taken the program to at least the second round every single year, with three Elite Eight trips sprinkled in.

But this year, they just pulled off something that indeed declared they are on a championship run.

We knew the Longhorns were on a hot streak. But the Players Era Tournament gave them a real chance to prove something, and Texas grabbed it the right way. The Longhorns became the first team in 25 years to beat top-3 opponents on consecutive days, a ridiculous flex this early in the season.

It started with their first matchup against the No. 3 UCLA Bruins, where they came out swinging and claimed a momentous 76–65 win on Tuesday to open the Players Era Tournament in Las Vegas. And that victory set them up for something very familiar: a rematch with South Carolina, who had just beaten Duke to punch their ticket to the final.

Then came the shocker! 

The no.2 South Carolina, who hadn’t lost a game, finally slipped on Thursday night as No. 4 Texas pulled off a 66–64 Thanksgiving upset in what turned out to be their toughest battle yet. And what a SEC class it was!

The game opened at a high pace but slowed down quickly in the second quarter. From there, it was all about trading leads. The fourth quarter became absolute chaos and then Rori Harmon stepped up. A go-ahead bucket from the Texas veteran guard with 0.7 seconds left sealed the win for the Longhorns.

Now, while this wasn’t exactly Longhorns’ revenge for last season’s NCAA semifinal loss, it has everyone wondering whether Texas deserves to be crowned the best team in the country after beating No. 2 and No. 3. But it’s tricky, because Geno Auriemma’s defending champion UConn is still undefeated and picked up 30 of the 32 first-place votes this week.

So the big question now: How many minds will Texas change?

However, beyond whatever happens in the polls or later in the year, one thing is clear: Texas is building a formidable team that’s starting to look more than capable of running the table.

Texas announces new era with no. 1 Class of 2026

UConn, USC, Tennessee, Duke, and Kentucky fans all have plenty to look forward to with the class of 2026. But if we’re talking about who’s leading the way right now, that crown clearly belongs to Texas.

Vic Schaefer and the Longhorns have locked in one of the most impressive hauls of the cycle, securing commitments from top-10 talents Brihanna Crittendon and Addison Bjorn, along with Lizzy Spaight and Amalia Holguin. That quartet has already earned the No. 1 ranking nationally from CBS Sports and the Dan Olson Collegiate Basketball Report.

Crittendon, a five-star guard, sits at No. 8 in ESPN’s SportsCenter NEXT 100, while Bjorn, the No. 10 prospect, brings a 6-foot-1 frame and a reputation for offensive versatility. They’ll join Spaight, ranked No. 20, and Holguin, ranked No. 60, giving the Longhorns a deep, balanced, and highly skilled 2026 class.

And to make it more interesting, Madison Booker should still be on campus when this group arrives, and she’ll be joined by current freshman Aaliyah Crump, the No. 5 recruit in the 2025 class. Put all of that together, and the vision practically writes itself.

The 2026–27 Texas squad has the potential to be flat-out dominant.