AUSTIN — The Texas Longhorns celebrated joining the Southeastern Conference on July 1st with a massive party on campus featuring fireworks, former Texas legends, and even a concert from Pitbull.

The Longhorns went all out for its induction into the SEC. The Celebration featured appearances from Head Coach Steve Sarkisian, Texas legend RB Jamal Charles, and many others. The ‘SEC Now’ crew was there to cover the historical event as the Longhorns will now look to turn the page on a successful chapter in its program history.

Here is some footage from the event

Just the beginning ????@TexasLonghorns x @SEC pic.twitter.com/Oj0LGQDW6T

— Texas Football (@TexasFootball) July 1, 2024

Texas was a powerhouse in the Big 12 for 28 years. The Longhorns football program accounted for four Big 12 championships in 1996, 2005, 2009 and last season. The Longhorns now join one of the best conferences in college football history as the SEC has accounted for 12 of the past 20 national championships. Texas AD Chris Del Conte talked about the anticipated move.

“This is a day we have been building toward for years,” Texas athletic director Chris Del Conte said. “Our fans our excited about this. You can tell by the turnout. It just means more to the fans in the Southeast Conference and their schools.”

-Conte on Texas moving to the SEC

The official Texas Football X account released a video showing the transition into a ‘new era’.

A new era has arrived ????@TexasLonghorns x @SEC pic.twitter.com/8LRM3rl0GI

— Texas Football (@TexasFootball) July 1, 2024

The Longhorns will head into the SEC with a roster that can compete on day one. Texas will have one of the best offensive lines in the country to protect returning starting QB Quinn Ewers led by projected first-round pick Kelvin Banks Jr. The Longhorns also have the playmakers on the outside to put up points adding WRs Isaiah Bond and  Silas Bolden in the off-season.

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Texas will have a complete team as the Longhorns will return both starting DEs Ethan Burke and Barryn Sorell while adding DE Trey Moore, S Andrew Mukuba, and CB Jay’Vion Cole in the transfer portal.

Texas Head Coach Steve Sarkisian has plenty of experience coaching in the SEC serving as an offensive coordinator at Alabama for two seasons under 7-time national championship-winning coach Nick Saban. Sarkisian helped the Crimson Tide win a national title in 2020 and has coached some of the SEC’s best in quarterbacks Tua Tagovailoa, and Mac Jones.

The change in conference will also lead to fresh matchups as the Longhorns will face a plethora of rare opponents including, Florida, Miss State, Georgia, and Kentucky. Texas has only played these four teams 13 times in program history.

Here is the 2024 Texas Longhorns schedule. How many games will they win this coming college football season? pic.twitter.com/w30uOC9PI8

— College Football Alerts  (@CFBAlerts_) February 29, 2024

The most anticipated matchup however will be the revival of the ‘Lone Star showdown’ between the Longhorns and Texas A&M. These two teams had not faced since the Aggies left the Big 12 in 2012 but now find themselves in the same conference and are back on the Thanksgiving weekend slate.

Texas has had a historically excellent record against current SEC teams with a 191-94-9 record. The Longhorns will look to continue the same success in its SEC opener when they host Miss State at DKR Memorial Stadium on Sep, 28th.

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