Steve Sarkisian explains what winning the Big 12 title in Texas' last year would mean

This is Texas‘ last season in the Big 12 before leaving for the SEC. With that upcoming move around the corner, the Longhorns are playing for a conference championship in their final year in the conference. That’s something that’s been on the mind of head coach Steve Sarkisian.

In an appearance on SportsCenter before the Big 12 Championship Game, Sarkisian emphasized how important winning the conference is for Texas.

“It would be awesome and we’ve been talking about it from the summer,” Steve Sarkisian said. “When Texas got in the Big 12 in 1996, they won the conference championship they were there. They only won two more along the way and those other two years were ’05 and ’09 and those two years they went and played for a national championship.”

The Big 12 was founded in 1994, acting as a merger between the Big 8 and the Southwest Conference. The Longhorns were one of the four Southwest Conference teams to initially join before the conference eventually began play in 1996.

“So, we’re trying to get our fourth conference championship here in the last 27 years, and hopefully history can repeat itself,” Sarkisian concluded.

Texas will take on Oklahoma State in the Big 12 Championship Game. With a win, the Longhorns will leave the Big 12 with bragging rights and it would also keep Texas alive for a potential trip to the College Football Playoff this season. A win in the Big 12 Championship Game would be the fourth for Texas. However, for Oklahoma State, it would be the Cowboys’ first conference title since 2011.

Going into this vital game, however, Texas is dealing with injuries that are leaving several key players listed as questionable.

“Just a little bit of an injury update. [Ryan] Watts and Austin Jordan will be questionable here for Saturday,” Sarkisian said. “Xavier [Worthy] will be good to go and Maalik Murphy practiced today as well. So, feel good about those two guys.”

Texas QB Quinn Ewers focused on Big 12 title game

After the season is over, Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers will need to make a decision about his future. In particular, if he wants to stay in school or declare for the NFL Draft. For now, though, his focus is on preparing for Oklahoma State in the Big 12 Championship Game.

“Right now, I’m just trying to win a Big 12 Championship,” Quinn Ewers said. “You can’t look too far ahead or you’ll miss what’s right in front of you.”