In the middle of a shifting college football landscape, where the SEC’s move from an eight- to nine-game conference schedule has prompted some programs to quietly scale back their high-profile non-conference matchups, Texas is taking a different approach - and making no apologies for it.
While others are backing out of marquee showdowns, the Longhorns are doubling down on competition. Head coach Steve Sarkisian and athletic director Chris Del Conte have made it clear: Texas isn’t shying away from anyone, including Ohio State.
That home-and-home series? Still on the books.
The added SEC game in 2026 isn’t changing that.
This isn’t just talk - it’s a statement of identity. Texas wants to be viewed not just as an SEC contender, but as a national powerhouse that embraces the challenge of elite competition, week in and week out.
Contrast that with reports surrounding Alabama, where things appear to be a bit more uncertain. According to Paul Finebaum, the Crimson Tide are likely to cancel their own home-and-home series with Ohio State scheduled for 2027-28, citing the increased demands of the expanded SEC schedule. Finebaum even went a step further, suggesting Alabama is in a “shaky situation” and that new head coach Kalen DeBoer is “in trouble.”
That’s a sharp divergence from the tone coming out of Austin.
Del Conte, speaking candidly in an interview last week, laid out the philosophy driving Texas’ scheduling strategy:
“College football is built around your regular season,” he said. “Do you guys really want nice, good games in DKR?
We can play three cream puffs, and we can play an SEC schedule. But if the playoff is going to expand - which I prefer - you want to then have great games, right?
And value those great games, as long as we have an opportunity to get into postseason.”
That’s a pretty clear message: Texas isn’t interested in padding the win column with easy opponents. They want big games, big atmospheres, and big stakes - not just for the fans, but because they believe it strengthens their playoff résumé.
Del Conte continued: “I prefer to preserve the regular season by playing great games and not dumbing down your schedule and playing nobody with the hopes that you can get in the playoff because you played nobody.”
It’s a refreshing perspective in an era where playoff expansion could easily incentivize teams to play it safe. Instead, Texas is leaning into the challenge. They’re betting that iron sharpens iron - that playing the best will prepare them to beat the best when it matters most.
And let’s be honest: matchups like Texas vs. Ohio State are what make college football special.
These are the kinds of games that define programs, energize fanbases, and shape postseason narratives. For Texas, keeping those games on the schedule isn’t just about optics - it’s about identity.
As the SEC’s expansion continues to reshape the sport, Texas is planting its flag. They’re not just entering the toughest conference in college football - they’re embracing it head-on, without sacrificing the kind of non-conference clashes that make Saturdays unforgettable.
In a time when some programs seem to be pulling back, the Longhorns are charging forward. And in doing so, they’re sending a clear message to the rest of the college football world: bring it on.