Steve Sarkisian’s obsession with a national title comes with a hefty price tag. But it’s not just his salary that’s breaking the bank; it’s a record-shattering $40 million bet on the roster itself. The Texas Longhorns are in for a glory ride.

“Texas will pay Steve Sarkisian + his senior staff a hair shy of $25 million for an “All In” 2026 season,” college football insider Zach Barnett posted on X on February 18.

The school is essentially betting the house that paying premium prices for coaching will finally bring home the elusive national title trophy for the first time since the Vince Young era. Sark is the big winner here, set to pocket a guaranteed $11.5 million in 2026 alone. After he got that massive contract extension through 2031, his paycheck has been climbing every single year.

But it takes a village to run a powerhouse, and the remaining $25 million goes to his senior staff. The pool for the 10 full-time assistant coaches has been hiked to around $10.5 million to $11 million. Five of his assistants will make over $1 million, with a sixth joining them in 2027. They even went so far as to give GM (Brandon Harris) a 60%+ hike, boosting his salary to $1 million.

However, the biggest chunk of their $75 million budget is a record-breaking $40 million dedicated just to the roster. While Coach Sarkisian has called some of these specific numbers “irresponsible” in the past, reports show Texas leading the nation in transfer portal and retention spending. The big name on the payroll is quarterback Arch Manning. His NIL is estimated at around $6.8 million for 2026.

Not only that, the Longhorns spent $23 million on the transfer portal, beating Ohio State ($20 million) and Oregon ($19 million). According to reports, the Longhorns might have $3 million to lock in the No. 1 wide receiver in the portal in Cam Coleman out of Auburn. On top of that, they are also investing $10 million into the future through expanded scholarships.

With new NCAA rules increasing roster limits to 105 players, the school is fully funding the additional spots to build championship-level depth. All in all, it comes down to $75 million. That’s the price the Longhorns are paying to power Steve Sarkisian’s obsession.

“I came here to win a championship and then if I can get one I want to get two,” Sarkisian said. “I’m borderline obsessed with it at this point. I know how close we were and I can’t wait to get back and hopefully, that’s what our team really starts to exude is this obsession with being the best.”

The head coach has already fallen short of his obsession for the fifth time. The question is: will the sixth finally be his lucky charm?

Texas Longhorns’ natty chances and what the experts say

The confidence from Vegas, with odds hovering around +750, reflects a belief that Texas has finally assembled the elite talent to overcome its past shortcomings. This optimism is backed by advanced metrics like ESPN’s FPI, which gives the Longhorns a formidable 24% chance of winning it all, suggesting this isn’t just hype but a statistically sound projection.

Some analysts across the country are basically obsessed with the “Arch Manning era” finally clicking. After that second half of the season, many analysts believe he’s going to be a total game-changer after seeing him put up over 3,000 yards and 29 touchdowns.

Based on the talent on the team, especially on offense, there should be no reason he shouldn’t break Colt McCoy’s single-season passing touchdown record (34) this year.

However, two major hurdles could trip them up: a rebuilt offensive line and a daunting schedule. Texas has to replace several starters on the line, and how they handle a big Week 2 home game against Ohio State will tell us everything. If the line holds up and the defense stays healthy, then Texas is the team to beat in 2026.