Texas Football Slotted into SEC 2024 Schedule
All Eyes on the SEC. College Football anticipation filled the internet as the Southeastern Conference (SEC) unveiled the opponents and locations for the much-awaited 2024 football schedule. This particular season marked a significant milestone as the University of Texas and the University of Oklahoma joined the SEC competition for the first time.
For the Texas Longhorns, a series of exciting matchups await them at the Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Football powerhouses like Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, and Mississippi State are scheduled to visit Austin, promising thrilling battles on the gridiron. The Longhorns would have their fair share of away games as well. Texas will journey to formidable locations like Arkansas, Texas A&M (not really formidable), and Vanderbilt. Notably, the annual showdown against Oklahoma remains and will be held in Dallas, with the Longhorns would be designated as the visiting team.
While the full 2024 SEC football schedule with specific game dates remained undisclosed, Texas did announce additional non-conference games most notably will be a road game to Ann Arbor, MI to face the Michigan Wolverines.
As previously revealed, each SEC team in 2024 would play eight conference games. In addition, they would face one mandatory opponent from the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12, or major independent conferences. This move aimed to balance the schedule strength among the teams. The determination of the 2024 SEC opponents took into account two primary factors: traditional rivals and the balance of schedule strength. The winning percentages of Oklahoma and Texas in the Big 12 since 2012 played a role in ranking the teams for the matchups.
In crafting the 2024 schedule, measures were taken to ensure that no school would travel to the same location as the previous year. However, it was acknowledged that when a long-term schedule format was established, it might not always be feasible to avoid back-to-back visits to certain locations in the inaugural year of the new format.
Another significant change to the SEC format would take effect in 2024—the elimination of divisional standings. The SEC Championship Game would feature the top two teams in the Conference standings at the conclusion of the regular season, intensifying the competition among the conference's powerhouses.
Historically speaking., the Longhorns boasted an undefeated series against Florida, winning twice and drawing once. Their last meeting in 1940 resulted in a resounding 26-0 victory for Texas. Similarly,
Texas holds a favorable 4-1 advantage over Georgia, including a memorable 28-21 triumph in the 2018 Allstate Sugar Bowl. The lone defeat in their matchups occurred in the 1984 Cotton Bowl, with the Bulldogs claimed a narrow 10-9 victory. Texas also had successful encounters with Kentucky and Mississippi State, although their matchups were relatively limited.
Among the away games, Texas would revisit familiar territory in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The Longhorns had a historical advantage over the Razorbacks, leading the all-time series 56-23. Their rivalry stretched back to their days in the Southwest Conference from 1915-1991. Texas had also forged intense rivalries with Oklahoma and Texas A&M over the years, battling it out in the Cotton Bowl and various conference affiliations.
The reveal of the 2024 football schedule ignited excitement and anticipation among fans across all of CFB, setting the stage for epic clashes on the field. The Longhorns will be soon be in the SEC, ready to compete against a formidable lineup of opponents, poised to leave their mark in the prestigious conference.
HOWEVER...
As a good coach would, Steve Sarkisian tweeted out this to make sure everyone stays focus on the task at hand. Texas has to dominate 2023 season and not get distracted with 2024.
