On July 1, the University of Texas officially joined the Southeastern Conference after 28 seasons within the Big 12 Conference. The SEC includes 16 colleges who compete against each other across a wide range of sports. Three years ago, UT announced its forthcoming split from the Big 12 and its incumbent entrance into the SEC. Many changes come with the school’s realignment, including old rivalries being unearthed, new rivalries being formed and harsher competition. Every sport for the school will be affected, but the main three that are expected to be affected the most are football, baseball and basketball.
Football is expected to have some of the biggest changes due to the conference shift, and so far this season the team has met fans’ expectations. The SEC comes with far harsher competition, but Texas’ powerhouse of a team has thus far been able to face it head on without being pushed off course.
This was evident in the Longhorns’ first six games, which UT won by large margins. The Longhorns faltered, however, in their marquee home faceoff against the perennial SEC powerhouse Georgia Bulldogs. The Longhorns’ defense was a spectacle against the Bulldog’s offense, creating three interceptions, but the offense was a completely different story. UT wasn’t able to hold back the stalwart SEC-standard bearer UGA defense who not only matched the Longhorns’ three interceptions but added seven sacks for 49 yards. Texas meanwhile wasn’t able to create a single sack. The competition in the SEC is a completely different ballgame than the Big 12, and Texas will have to continue to adapt if they want to flourish.
Sophomore Fergus Castleberry is anxious about the conference change because of the higher competition that comes along with it.
“I think originally before the season started, I was definitely a little nervous because I know that every team in the SEC is good unlike the Big 12,” Castleberry said. “[In the Big 12] you might have a team where you’re like, ‘Oh we’re definitely gonna win,’ but when you’re playing Arkansas, a team that’s supposed to be mediocre, it’s still not a guaranteed win. I mean, no game is, but I’m definitely more confident because Texas was really good last year.”
Even with fans having anxiety around the new competition, the transfer opens doors for old and new rivalries to come to light. Along with UT joining the SEC, OU decided to join too, which kept the Red River Rivalry game alive. An old rivalry that will become current again is the UT and Texas A&M Lone Star Showdown. The last time those two teams met was 2011 where Texas won by points, 27-25. Lastly, an interesting new matchup that will occur due to the merger is the University of Tennessee vs. the University of Texas in a matchup of the UTs.
Other than football, one of the three sports that is bringing UT fans the most excitement after joining the SEC is baseball. Already a top tier program with a proud history, Texas baseball will become a vital part of the SEC. As previously mentioned with the football program, the OU-Texas rivalry will continue to provoke fans across the country.
The SEC is known for being the biggest force in college baseball due to its recent record in the College World Series. During the 2024 CWS, the final was between two SEC teams, Tennessee and Texas A&M. The game was the fourth consecutive final where the two teams were from the SEC. Even if Texas becomes challenged by the extreme talent within the SEC, sophomore Levi Satterfield believes that they’ll be able to adapt further and exceed expectations.
“I think we’ll adapt very nicely [to the SEC],” Satterfield said. “I think the way we’re gonna adapt is we’ve been playing in a trash conference the last couple of years, and I think that after 1 or 2 seasons, we’ll be just as good as the other programs.”
The adaptation ability that Satterfield believes Texas brings to the table will be vital within the SEC.
“I think that it’s gonna be good to show how tough Texas is, show how good we’ve gotten as a program and to show that we can compete with the big dogs,” Satterfield said.
The third sport out of the big three that Texas fans are looking forward to seeing competition in is men’s basketball. Although UT is thought to be a solid competitor in the NCAA, joining the SEC is guaranteed to bring harsher competition to the team. A preseason poll ranks the Longhorns at No. 19 within collegiate play, but going up against powerhouse teams will show the true grit of the team. Teams like Kentucky, the winningest team in men’s college basketball history, will pose a threat to the Longhorns.
For sophomore Hudson Morehead, SEC basketball involving Texas is sure to be exciting.
“I think basketball is gonna be fun because we’re gonna play Kentucky. I think that’s gonna be a good matchup,” Morehead said. “I think it’s also gonna be a good matchup because we play our former coach Rick Barnes in Tennessee.”
Overall, Texas joining the SEC ensures excitement for fans, players and commentators alike. A fresh set of competition to appear on the field, court and diamond is certain to up the antics for the seasons ahead.
