Yep, it's going to be one of those games that the networks will sell to the audience as historic, and like you said, in some ways it will be. And like I said earlier in the thread, I hope there are meaningful implications for the Gators. And you know what I mean by that.
Once they expand the playoffs enough and go to 2 conferences so half of teams can make the playoffs the players can sit out regular season games too since they won't matter.
Compared to Oklahoma, Texas got off easy in its 2024 SEC draw; the only reason the Longhorns are ranked even 14th in SOS is because of a nonconference trip to Michigan in Week 2. Oklahoma (Big 12 to SEC) SP+ projection: 15th (last year: 17th) Projected wins: 7.5 overall, 3.6 in conference (last year: 10-3) Strength of schedule ranking: third (last year: 52nd at end of regular season) Texas (Big 12 to SEC) SP+ projection: fourth (last year: sixth) Projected wins: 9.9 overall, 6.4 in conference (last year: 12-2) Strength of schedule ranking: 14th (last year: 33rd)
Can't wait to embarrass them at home and rub it in to welcome them to the big time and start a new hateful rivalry. Bevo's thingy smells like goat!
It’s funny you bring up Texas vitriol. In many ways, I’ve seen Texas as a bizarro UF… a mirror image. Fans thing they are better than sustained championships or dynasty runs would show. Big state school with good academics and good in lots of sports. Huge fan base. Austin/GNV blue dots with good music scenes in red states.4 national titles to our 3. We have 3 Heismans to their 2….which isn’t a ton in the 100+ years of football for both schools but both fan bases are passionate, driven, a lot of talk about money, recruiting base in their respective states, tradition, prominence…. They complain when opposing teams do horns down…. We complain when teams do the chomp… I see a lot of similarities
Oklahoma has dominated the Big 12 since 2000. They have 14 conference championships and a winning percent around .810. Well, those days are over.
All valid observations. I would love to think UF fans don't act as entitled as UTex fans are noted for, but I'm on the inside looking out rather than the other way around (for which, I count myself as extremely lucky!)
Oklahoma actually has some room to talk, whereas Texas apparently suffers from delusions of grandeur driven by too many oil wells and a complete lack of self-awareness. But even with all their money, they still couldn't get it done on a regular basis in the Big12. That alone puts the foolishness of their boasting about dominating the SEC right out of the gate in perspective. My great hope for them is that they lose three or more SEC games in '24 and miss the playoffs altogether. Yippie ki yay. Welcome to the SEC.
If a team thinks they are going to dominate the SEC, that is a weakness intended to mask insecurities and fear, and it will bite them in the ass. I live in Austin, and Texas is fortunate they are coming in now that they have been getting some talent and finally winning some games, otherwise they would be getting a beat down, but that would be business as usual for them. They have been an historically soft team over the last 15 years. One week they play well the next they play poorly. That will not work in the SEC. Oklahoma is the team that is going to feel it the most, but make no mistake, Texas needs to up their game if they are going to do anything in the SEC. They do have some cupcakes on their schedule, so their record will be descent, but if they think they are going to dominate the SEC, they will get punched right in the mouth. There are no weeks off. Even Bama did not play with that level of arrogance.
The game I think will be fun to watch is the Texas / Arkansas game. People don't realize what a rivalry game that is. Arkansas absolutely hates Texas. The gas stations won't even sell gas to Texas fans. That is a very physical game and it is right after they play us. They also have to play Georgia right after they play Oklahoma. That should be a beat down.
Lot of UF alums in Texas. Hope many make it to the game. SEC looks pretty wide open right now, most fan bases are optimistic. That said, it's hard to get excited about Texas, not a rival in any sport other than maybe volleyball. I have no real dislike for them. If I had grown up in Texas I probably would have gone to UT. Certainly would not have been an Aggie. Just beat Miami.
My opinion of UT west's FB culture has much to do with their history in the old SWAC, and more recently, the Big 12. They are reputedly disliked by quite a few fellow former league members for the high-handed manner in which they are said to conduct conference business with "lesser" programs. Even James Mitchener penned a lengthy section on the unseemly origins and generally cutthroat traditions of Texas FB in his eponymous tome "Texas." Throw in the spectacle of a big mouth QB drawing a target on his own back - right out of the gate, plus a formal request to make "horns down" a personal foul - and "The Hell with Texas Party" has officially begun at my house.
I live near Austin, and I would say Shorthorn fans are way more arrogant than, say, Aggie fans and far less friendly. After the game they can be cool, if you can tolerate the aforementioned arrogance.
When you punch them in the mouth, do they fight back or does their daddy sue you? That pretty much defines those types
I lived in Houston briefly back in the old SWC days. I get the dislike but to me they were all cheaters, esp Okla. Well maybe not Rice . As far as running the big 12, sure, but no different than Bama trying to run the sec. All major championships were a stones throw from Tuscaloosa at one time and sec offices are nearby and the refs, well.. .. At this point Texas is not even top 10 on the dislike list for me. To each his own tho.
