DALLAS – The Texas Longhorns are now officially members of the SEC.
And with that, will come a litany of new opponents in the coming years.
In 2024 alone, the Longhorns are set to take on Mississippi State, Georgia, Florida, Vanderbilt and Kentucky are part of that new schedule.
However, even with the excitement that comes with new adversaries, it is the renewal of two age-old rivalries that has Texas fans and the program itself buzzing the most.
Jul 17, 2024; Dallas, TX, USA; Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian speaking at Omni Dallas Hotel. Mandatory Credit: Brett Patzke-USA TODAY Sports / Brett Patzke-USA TODAY Sports
“We’re looking forward to it,” Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian said at SEC Media Days on Wednesday. “We’re looking forward to renewing rivalries with Texas A&M and with Arkansas. We’re one of the few schools with realignment that has benefitted from realignment that we’ve gotten some rivalries back, and so we’re looking forward to those things, as well.”
While the rivalry with Arkansas is obviously extremely important to Texas in itself, it goes without saying that the Lone Star Showdown against Texas A&M will take center stage.
And for good reason.
It is a game that has been absent from college football for over a decade, with most players who are set to take part in the matchup later this year barely being old enough to remember it being played.
That said, a majority of the players on both rosters are still intimately familiar with both schools thanks to their recruitments.
And even with that long absence, the rivalry between the fans has not faded. In fact, some would argue that it is more volatile than ever.
“It’s a game, that divides households and one that — it’s interesting, our players, I listen to our players talk sometimes, and they’re like, our players are probably way more excited for this game than most fans would probably think because we haven’t played the game in a while. But the majority of the players on our two rosters probably went on visits together at if not one school, both schools, and one guy chose Texas and one guy chose A&M. I think there’s a great deal of excitement.”
Suffice it to say, the anticipation surrounding the November matchup is already palpable in July, and the Longhorns know they will need to be ready for the Aggies’ best shot in College Station.
“I know Coach Elko has done a great job in that program in his short time being there,” Sarkisian said. “It’s going to be a great environment in Kyle Field Thanksgiving weekend, so we’re definitely looking forward to it.”
Source link : https://www.si.com/college/texas/news/texas-longhorns-looking-forward-to-renewed-texas-a-m-arkansas-rivalries-in-sec-01j33p0hvc5g
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Publish date : 2024-07-18 16:07:36
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