Chris Del Conte shares excitement for SEC rivalries

On3 imageby:Justin Rudolph05/31/23

Texas Longhorns athletic director Chris Del Conte is filled with excitement and anticipation as the institution prepares to join the SEC. With the move, there is plenty for Del Conte and Longhorn fans to be excited about. But what the Texas AD is most excited about is the list of rivals his school will face in their new conference.

“What I’m really excited about is the fact that we get to have — college football is all about embracing rivalries and the fans that embrace those rivalries. … Playing Arkansas again is so awesome,” said Del Conte. “Coach Broyles and DKR retired on the same day in 1976. Arkansas games mattered to our fan base so much in the 60’s and 70’s. A&M, we’ve been playing A&M forever. You’ve got Oklahoma; you have Missouri from the old Big 12 days.”

The Longhorns are bringing the Oklahoma Sooners with them to the SEC, keeping one of the biggest rivalries intact. But joining the conference means that they will have the opportunity to renew another heated rivalry with the likes of Texas A&M.

There will also be a few new rivals with which Texas is familiar but has yet to share a conference. And the two biggest ones Del Conte is excited about facing off against are the LSU Tigers and the Alabama Crimson Tide.

“Across the board, we’ve had great games with LSU, the Alabama game last year was great. But for us to elevate ourselves to the programs we’re playing and come back to our rivals, that’s what college sports is all about. For Texas, we know who we are at all times. But the fact that we get a chance to take our brand, who we are, into the SEC and compete at the highest level, we are excited about that opportunity and thankful we were given that opportunity.”

In their previous matchups against LSU and Alabama, Texas has played their two future rivals down to the wire. In 2019 the Longhorns fell by just seven points to the eventual national champions, LSU, 45-38 in their second game of the season. And in last year’s matchup against Alabama, Texas came up short by just one point, losing 20-19, after starting quarterback Quinn Ewers was knocked out of the game.

In the SEC, every week will bring a new challenge and a rival who is competing for dominance in the conference. With the level of intensity SEC football brings, it’s hard not to see why Del Conte is so excited about the move to Texas’ new home conference.