Back in May 2025, Steve Sarkisian took issue with reports suggesting Texas was already operating with a $35-40 million football roster. He called it irresponsible, said he wished he had that kind of money, and framed it as anonymous sourcing gone too far. Fast forward to February 2026, and the conversation has shifted, starting with the scholarship changes. 

Texas is fully funding scholarships across its athletic department moving forward. Every athlete on the roster will be on scholarship. That’s a $10 million annual expense, and it counts against the revenue-sharing total. In all, the scholarship commitment alone carries a $30.5 million price tag when combined with other allocations.

For football specifically, Texas went from 85 scholarships in 2024-25 to 105 for the 2025-26 roster. This is the new structure under the House settlement framework, where scholarship limits are lifted and replaced with a spending cap model that looks a lot like professional sports.

Under the settlement terms outlined last spring by Houston Chronicle’s Kirk Bohls, schools can decide how many scholarships to award, but those scholarships now function as budget items. Texas plans to allocate roughly 75% of its expected $20.5 million revenue-sharing pool to football, 15% to men’s basketball, 5% to women’s basketball, and the rest spread across several other sports.

Texas can do this because it has the room. According to USA Today, the Longhorns became the first athletic department to surpass $300 million in revenue in 2024, bringing in $331.9 million while clearing roughly $7 million in profit. 

Chris Del Conte has already signed off on adding nearly 200 scholarships across men’s and women’s sports. Women’s scholarships jump from 125 to 267, while men’s from 141.2 to 199. Title IX compliance is built into the numbers, aligned with a student population that’s roughly 60 percent female. And yes, football benefits most.

This is where the $40 million conversation comes back around. According to On3’s Rusty Mansell, Texas is now expected to field a roster worth around $40 million in combined revenue-sharing and NIL payouts for the upcoming season. 

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“Texas will have the first 40 million dollar roster, no doubt in my mind they are close to that in real salary,” he wrote. “This is an ALL IN season for Sark, literally.”

Texas has already made moves that fit that description. Cam Coleman reportedly signed a $3-3.5 million deal after transferring from Auburn. Hollywood Smothers flipped from Alabama on the same day. Add in Arch Manning, Ryan Wingo, Colin Simmons, Rasheem Biles, and a top-10 recruiting class with three 5-stars, and the spending adds up fast. Texas is spending like it expects results. And it’s not just Steve Sarkisian’s Longhorns who expect results. 

2026 is the line in the sand for Steve Sarkisian 

The Longhorns entered last season ranked No. 1 and still missed the CFP after a 9-3 regular season. That unfinished business is where Steve Sarkisian needs to buckle up. ESPN’s Greg McElroy doesn’t hide his expectations for 2026.

“If Arch Manning stays healthy and Colin Simmons can turn into the SEC Defensive Player of the Year, I think Texas is a lock for the College Football Playoff,” he said. “They have the roster of a national champion. They have one of the best quarterbacks in the country in Arch Manning.”

Arch Manning’s 2025 numbers were solid but not transcendent. He had 3,163 passing yards, 26 TDs, seven interceptions, plus 399 rushing yards and 10 scores on the ground. So this time, Steve Sarkisian is bringing four transfer O-linemen and a premium WR in Coleman.

Texas has 18 total transfer additions and the ninth-ranked portal class. Still, the schedule isn’t forgiving. Ole Miss, Ohio State, Texas A&M, and Oklahoma all finished in the AP Top 25 last year. Fans will get their first look early. Steve Sarkisian is bringing back the spring game after skipping it last year. It’s set for April 18 at DKR.