Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian is in his fourth season with the program. In each of his first three seasons, he has scheduled at least one game against an out-of-conference opponent from the state of Texas.
They scheduled Rice in 2021 and 2023 and they scheduled UTSA in 2022. The Texas Longhorns are preparing to face the UTSA Roadrunners this Saturday night at home.
Texas Longhorns Head Coach Steve Sarkisian Understands the Importance Of Scheduling “In-State” Games
Sarkisian, the head coach of the Longhorns, understands that scheduling these games benefits both his program and the other programs in the state of Texas. There are a lot of good teams in the state of Texas and he spoke to the media. This is what Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian told Matt Galatzan of Sports Illustrated:
“First of all it’s good for the state. I think it’s great we do play teams in our own state. I think it’s great for their brand, good for our brand, and creates a really good environment at DKR. They’re all dangerous. Coach Traylor has done a good job, they’re dangerous. We see what Texas State is doing now, what Sam Houston has done, UTEP is doing now with a new coach and will start to build. I tell our team, if you start to prepare based on the helmet or uniform the other team wears, that’s how you get beat. We have to prepare to our standard.”
Sarkisian understands the importance of respecting the opponents no matter where they are ranked in the country. Earlier in the week, he warned his team about having a letdown game against the UTSA Roadrunners because of what happened to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at home last week against the Northern Illinois Huskies.
Other Matchups Moving Forward
This will not be the last time that the Longhorns will face an in-state opponent out of conference. Texas will face UTEP and Sam Houston in 2025, Texas State and UTEP in 2026, face UTEP also in 2027, 2029, and 2031. They will also face UTSA in 2028 and 2030.
This is a good thing for the Longhorns and the other programs in college football. Steve Sarkisian and the program look forward to these games every year. This has nothing to do with these kinds of games being layups for the Longhorns. It benefits both programs.
For More Great Football Content
Follow me on Twitter at @glennkaplan13 more great content. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in college and professional football, click here!
