Chris Del Conte discusses importance of rivalries as Texas leaves Big 12 early for SEC

When Texas joins the SEC in 2024, the Longhorns could do something they haven’t done since 2011. Texas A&M will be back on the schedule at some point — and Chris Del Conte sounds excited about it.

Del Conte, Texas’ athletic director, joined The Paul Finebaum Show and talked about the importance of rivalry games as the Longhorns make the jump from the Big 12 along with Oklahoma one year earlier than expected. He said it’s not only great for the schools, but for the fans who haven’t seen the two teams square off since a 27-25 Texas victory in 2011.

“I think what makes college so great is the rivalries,” Del Conte said. “Those deep-rooted family rivalries that last a lifetime. You cherish your mom and dad took you, their parents took them, your grandparents. When you can see the rivalries of schools and what it means, those are so important.

“For us not to play A&M for these years, it’s just sad and it’s ludicrous. I feel bad for the state of Texas, I feel bad for our fan bases.”

One other rival Texas hopes to have on its schedule is Arkansas, which the Longhorns have only played six times in the last 30 years. That rivalry goes back to the 1960s when Darrell Royal and Frank Broyles used to face off as both teams vied for national championships in the 1960s.

Add in the fact that the Red River Rivalry with Oklahoma will stay in tact, and Del Conte said the fans are in for a treat.

“But it’s the same thing … not playing Arkansas,” Del Conte said. “Coach Royal, they retired on the exact same day, Coach Royal and Coach Broyles. They had this storied history in the ’60s playing for national championships, the greatest game in the century. You start to think of all those things.

“For us to go back and rekindle those games on an annual basis, I just think it’s great for college, it’s great for our communities. Rivalries, in my opinion, really matter in sports. To be able to keep the Oklahoma game in Dallas as a rival and go back and rekindle those old relationships, it’s just an exciting time.”