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No. 2 Texas volleyball has four manageable games before two top-10 matchups

by: Josh Florey10/16/25
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Jerritt Elliott (Steven Branscombe-Imagn Images)

After a scorching start to SEC play, where the Longhorns have won 13-straight sets, Texas had to fight off a top-20 Tennessee in five sets and Alabama in four to remain undefeated on the 2025 season. Now, Jerritt Elliott‘s group has a very manageable four-game stretch before huge matches at No.10 Texas A&M and in Gregory Gym versus No. 3 ranked Kentucky.

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The first game in the stretch is against Arkansas, who has really struggled thus far, going 5-12 overall and 1-5 in SEC play. Texas should be able to take down the Hogs pretty easily, especially in a home game, but it’s important to note that it’s also a homecoming for one of the Razorbacks’ most promising players in freshman Parker Duncan, who went to Anderson High School in Austin. 

Then, Texas comes back to Austin for the toughest game of the stretch — a rivalry game with OU. Oklahoma is 12-4 so far this season and 4-2 in SEC play. The Sooners have beaten teams like Vanderbilt and Missouri, who have both been ranked this season. Add in the rivalry chaos, and the Sooners become a potentially dangerous team. But, Texas has shown it can win close matches, with multiple five-set victories (something last year’s team badly struggled with). The Sooners face A&M on Friday before heading to Austin. 

After OU, Texas heads to Oxford, Miss. to take on Ole Miss. The Rebels are 9-8, 1-5 in SEC play, and currently on a four-game skid. They lost to Arkansas to open conference play, then beat Oklahoma, before losing the next four. Ole Miss shouldn’t be too difficult for the Horns to overcome, but it is a road game against a team that has its back against the wall. 

Finally, Texas heads to Baton Rouge to face LSU. Like Ole Miss, the Tigers are also 9-8, but LSU is 2-4 in conference play. They beat Arkansas and then took down Florida, a borderline top-25 team. This is another game that Texas should win, but a road game against a desperate team could be tricky, especially if the Horns start to look ahead at a huge matchup with the Aggies and even further to Kentucky.

On Halloween, Texas will face Texas A&M, who is currently No. 10 in the nation. They are 13-3, with losses only to teams currently in the top 11 (No. 3 Kentucky, No. 8 SMU, No. 11 TCU). In conference, they are 5-1, with their only loss coming from the aforementioned Kentucky. Not only are the Aggies a very good team, it is also a road rivalry game on a spooky night. This is easily one of the two hardest matches left on the schedule for Texas, and a win would be huge for the growing confidence of the young players. 

After A&M, Texas has the other of the two hardest games: Kentucky. The Wildcats are 13-2, with their only losses to Nebraska — who many argue is the best team in the nation — and then a loss to Pitt, who is ranked No. 6. Their big wins include Louisville, A&M, and Penn State, all of whom are currently ranked in the top 17. Players like Kassie O’Brien and Eva Hudson have played well for Kentucky over the season and will be one of the biggest tests for this Texas team. The Horns should be helped by the home court advantage, with a sold-out game in Gregory Gym. 

This Texas team so far looks like a top-two team in the nation. And with its young talent, like freshman Cari Spears, they are a team that should only get better. They still have a few major tests left before the postseason, where they should be competing for a national title. Those tests arrive in the next couple of weeks.

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