The Texas Longhorns and Oklahoma Sooners announced their move to the SEC nearly three years ago, but even with the move becoming official on July 1, it’s still hard to believe it’s real.
When the move was announced, many people believed the Sooners would have a smooth transition while the Longhorns would struggle, but that perception has changed.
Brent Venables and the Sooners are coming off a 10-3 season, but they will play arguably the toughest schedule in the country this year. It certainly doesn’t help that Heisman Trophy candidate QB Dillon Gabriel transferred to the Oregon Ducks. Meanwhile, new starting quarterback Jackson Arnold struggled mightily in the only game he started last year, throwing three interceptions against Arizona.
Texas, on the other hand, is riding high, coming off a Big 12 title and a CFP berth. QB Quinn Ewers will be back on the Forty Acres for his third year as a starter, and many NFL draft experts project him as a future first-round pick. Additionally, the Longhorns landed one of the best players in the country via the transfer portal this offseason in former Alabama Crimson Tide wide receiver Isaiah Bond.
However, the biggest thing Texas has working for them is that head coach Steve Sarkisian is quickly proving himself to be one of the best coaches in the country. After a losing season in his first year, Sarkisian went 20-7 over the next two years with the Longhorns widely considered a top-five team in this year’s preseason.
As we approach the first season of the 16-team SEC, CBS Sports ranks the conference’s top ten coaches, with Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian coming in third on the list (fifth in all of college football), saying:
“Texas appears ready to hit the ground running by joining the SEC. The Longhorns have steadily grown each year under Sarkisian, culminating in a Big 12 title and a College Football Playoff appearance in 2023. With quarterback Quinn Ewers back to lead the charge and an impressive transfer filling the gaps on a roster already loaded with tremendous talent, the Longhorns have national title potential heading into the 2024 season. A berth in Atlanta for the SEC Championship Game is the expectation, at the very least.”
The story originally appeared on Longhorns Wire
