As Longhorn Network televises its last UT football game, a look at the top five contests aired on the network
An interesting era in the history of Texas football will come to a close on Saturday. The No. 4 Longhorns’ matchup with the visiting Wyoming Cowboys will be the final Texas football game aired on the Longhorn Network.
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LHN was established in August of 2011 amidst the most drastic conference realignment seen until the past few years. The Texas athletic department partnered with ESPN to create a network that not only paid UT handsomely for its third-tier rights but also showcased successful non-revenue sports like volleyball, women’s basketball, soccer, swimming, track, softball, and tennis to a much wider audience. Of course, its sympathetic coverage of Texas men’s basketball and baseball bolstered the interest of those sports already popular on the Forty Acres.
The Longhorn Network was widely criticized for a variety of reasons, even by Texas fans after the network’s birth coincided with the start of an abysmal decade for Longhorn football. But the work done by those on camera and behind-the-scenes was always quality and made in an effort to showcase the best aspects of the Longhorn athletic department and the University of Texas itself.
LHN became a model for other networks and schools. The SEC Network was the next evolutionary step for ESPN following Longhorn Network, and it too has put a light on sports previously seen as niche like gymnastics and beach volleyball. Other schools, even those within the Big 12, have utilized and promoted in-house media departments that have produced content similar to Longhorn Network’s.
Longhorn Network is airing its final Texas football game on Saturday before the channel is eventually folded into the SEC Network upon Texas’ move in July of 2024.
A number of interesting if not outright exciting games have been played on LHN. Here are the top five to grace Longhorn Network’s airwaves.
No. 5: 2022 – Texas 41, UTSA 20
Coming off a difficult defeat at the hands of No. 1 Alabama, Texas fell behind to the upstart Roadrunners early. The Longhorns trailed by as much as 10 in the second quarter, but a 20-carry, 183-yard, three-touchdown day by Bijan Robinson helped the Horns avoid the upset. UTSA would finish the season 11-3.
No. 4: 2019 – Texas 50, Kansas 48
Then-Kansas head coach Les Miles promoted Brent Dearmon, who had literally written a publicly accessible book on the run-pass option, to offensive coordinator prior to the Jayhawks’ trip to Texas. That change put the Longhorns on the ropes, as Kansas tallied 259 rushing yards and 310 passing yards during the contest.
KU even took a one-point lead with 1:11 left in the game after a successful two-point conversion, but Texas drove inside the red zone to set up a game-winning kick from Cameron Dicker. A fun game for Longhorn fans it wasn’t, but it was no doubt an exhilarating one with 50 total points scored in the fourth quarter.
No. 3: 2014 – Texas 48, Iowa State 45
Tyrone Swoopes completed 24-of-36 passes for 321 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. His final drive that put Nick Rose in position to kick a game-winning field goal wasn’t the most memorable part of the performance.
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With 20 seconds left and the ball on the Texas 28, Swoopes dropped back and sent a pass down the field to Jaxon Shipley. The younger Shipley hauled it in and went out of bounds at the Cyclone 28, well within Rose’s range. Another pass from Swoopes found John Harris to set up a chip shot field goal, yet for some reason that completion seemed to anger offensive coordinator Shawn Watson.
Rose would hit the short field goal to seal the Texas win.
No. 2: 2012 – Texas 66, Ole Miss 31
An odd inclusion, but this game was simulcast on ESPN and Longhorn Network in order to drum up interest in the LHN from carriers and subscribers alike. Texas went to Oxford and put up 676 total yards and nine touchdowns to thump the Rebels. Malcolm Brown had two touchdown runs and Marquise Goodwin had two total touchdowns, while D.J. Monroe, Mike Davis, and DJ Grant all added scores. Steve Edmond even returned an interception to the house to open scoring.
No. 1: 2018 – Texas 24, Iowa State 10
This game not only featured two ranked teams on LHN, but it had massive Big 12 Championship implications. The winner would control their own destiny, and all Texas had after the Cyclones was a trip to Lawrence to face the lame-duck David Beatty Jayhawks.
Texas dominated from the jump, scoring 10 pivotal second-quarter points. Iowa State would cut it to a two-possession game late with 93 seconds to go, but the game was all Texas’ even then. A late sack by Joseph Ossai ended any hope for a comeback by the Cyclones.
ISU mustered only 210 total yards and 12 first downs. Tre Watson and Keaontay Ingram led a rushing attack that did the job versus the unique ISU defense, while Shane Buechele stepped in for a banged-up Sam Ehlinger to lead the Horns to victory.
Honorable mentions
2011: Texas 34 Rice 9 – The first Texas game on LHN
2012: Texas 33 Iowa State 7 – Mack Brown honored Darrell Royal after his passing by running the Wishbone on the first play
