Importance of Texas beating Alabama ahead of SEC move, building confidence

In Week 2 of the 2023 campaign, Texas downed No. 3 Alabama 34-24. While both teams ultimately reached the College Football Playoff in January, it was a statement win for Texas. The statement? The Longhorns can compete with the top of the SEC.

That statement is now a rallying cry for Texas as it has officially joined the SEC, entering an unprecedented era. In a conversation with On3’s Andy Staples on Monday, Inside Texas’ Joe Cook revealed how the win has boosted Texas’ confidence about the move.

“I know that [win] is definitely playing a factor within that locker room,” Cook said. “It proved that they could be a national title contender and they were by making the four-team playoffs. There have been so many jokes — a lot of them justified — about Texas.

“[But] that probably proved to Texas that ‘Hey, you can go toe-to-toe with anybody. We can go toe-to-toe with anybody, especially an Alabama team that ended up winning the SEC,'” Cook continued. “That made it so they thought that whatever happened in Big 12 play was going to be able to be overcome.”

Texas will need that confidence in the 2024 campaign. The Longhorns have a grueling schedule ahead of them, with matchups against Oklahoma, Georgia and Texas A&M in conference play. Not to mention, Texas will square off against Michigan in Week 2.

Texas is confident in its SEC potential

Cook believes the Longhorns are more confident than ever despite the gauntlet ahead of them. Further, he claims a significant portion of their confidence stems from their win over Alabama last September.

“They think about the fact that they beat that SEC team, that Nick Saban team, and if they’re on this roster again after being on that successful Texas team last year, I’m sure it’s deep within that locker room,” Cook said.

“That confidence is there that they should be competing for national championships again, but obviously it’s permeated through the program as a lot of Texas fans feel pretty confident about this year; more so maybe than even last year.”

Texas fans’ excitement isn’t unfounded. Starting quarterback Quinn Ewers stunned fans around the nation when he announced was returning for a third season. Additionally, the team will have no shortage of fresh faces.

During the offseason, the Longhorns added the No. 5 class in On3’s Transfer Portal Team Rankings, highlighted by standouts such as Isaiah Bond (Alabama), Amari Niblack (Alabama) and Andrew Mukuba (Clemson).

With starters like Anthony Hill Jr., a freshman All-American in 2023, returning on the defensive side of the ball, Texas is set for another dominant season. The Longhorns will kick off their 2024 campaign on Aug. 31 against Colorado State.