The Texas Longhorns wasted no time making their mark in the Southeastern Conference (SEC), storming into the College Football Playoff (CFP) semifinals as the only SEC representative. While their run ended with a loss to Georgia, Texas made a statement by defeating every SEC opponent in the regular season, including their arch-rivals, Texas A&M. To top it off, the Longhorns clinched a spot in the SEC Championship—a feat Texas A&M hasn’t achieved in its 12 years in the league.
At SEC Media Days in Dallas, legendary former Alabama coach Nick Saban acknowledged Texas’ impressive entry into the conference, but warned, “Texas ain’t gonna run the SEC.” Still, SEC Network host Laura Rutledge was unfazed by Saban’s words, praising head coach Steve Sarkisian for building a team perfectly suited for SEC football.
“I thought they were built for this,” Rutledge said. “Sarkisian knew exactly what they needed at the line of scrimmage and built a team that fit seamlessly into the SEC. They were tough, and they tested every team in the league. And for fans who hadn’t experienced Austin before, they got a taste of the incredible atmosphere, which was absolutely fantastic.”
Rutledge’s remarks reflect the growing excitement around Texas’ future in the SEC. As the conference faces its first back-to-back seasons without a national championship contender since 2004, Texas has set a new standard for what’s possible in its SEC journey. With their debut season now in the books, the Longhorns have established themselves as a team to watch—and the bar has been set high for next year. The SEC may be changing, but Texas is here to stay and ready to rise.
