Saturday, September 5, 2026. Kickoff 3:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.
Texas opens at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium against Texas State, a Sun Belt program from San Marcos located about 30 miles down the interstate. It is the shortest road trip on anyone’s Week 1 schedule.
| Kickoff | 3:30 p.m. ET · 2:30 CT · 1:30 MT · 12:30 PT |
| TV | ESPN |
| Streaming | ESPN App, Disney+, Fubo, YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, Sling Orange |
| Venue | Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium, Austin |
A 30-Mile Road Trip
Texas State is in San Marcos, half an hour south of Austin on I-35. These programs recruit overlapping territory and their fanbases overlap too, which gives the game a local edge it would otherwise lack.
Texas State has built a respectable Sun Belt operation and has been trending upward. The gap remains large, but this is not a random FCS body-bag game.
Texas’s Season Setup
The Longhorns open at home before an SEC schedule that includes hosting Arkansas on November 21 and Mississippi State on Halloween weekend. A clean, quick start is the objective.
Afternoon Heat in Austin
A 2:30 local kickoff in Austin in early September routinely means field temperatures well above 100 degrees. Both teams are acclimated, but it shortens rotations and favours whichever side has the deeper roster — which is Texas by a wide margin.
How to Watch
ESPN carries it nationally, with a Disney+ streaming option now available alongside the traditional routes. Fubo, YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, DirecTV Stream and Sling Orange all carry ESPN.
It shares the 3:30 window with Boise State at Oregon on CBS, Baylor vs. Auburn on ABC, and Marshall at Penn State on FS1.
The Bottom Line
Texas State at Texas kicks off 3:30 p.m. ET Saturday, September 5 on ESPN from Austin. The visitors travel 30 miles, and afternoon heat will be a factor for both sides.