Steve Sarkisian on the 2024 schedule: "This is an awesome schedule. It's going to be a heck of a run."
During his recent speaking tour stop at the Houston Touchdown Club, Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian echoed the excitement and anticipation Longhorns fans have had about the 2024 schedule since it was announced that this year’s campaign would be the program’s first in the Southeastern Conference.
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“I do think we have a very talented football team that has a really challenging schedule coming up,” Sarkisian said last week. “It’s finally here. We finally get to go to the SEC, right? This has been ongoing now for three years, the talk of going to the SEC. Now it’s a reality.”
| DATE | OPPONENT |
| Aug. 31 | Colorado State |
| Sep. 7 | at Michigan |
| Sep. 14 | UT-San Antonio |
| Sep. 21 | Louisiana-Monroe |
| Sep. 28 | Mississippi State |
| Oct. 5 | OPEN WEEK |
| Oct. 12 | vs. Oklahoma (Dallas, TX) |
| Oct. 19 | Georgia |
| Oct. 26 | Vanderbilt |
| Nov. 2 | OPEN WEEK |
| Nov. 9 | Florida |
| Nov. 16 | at Arkansas |
| Nov. 23 | Kentucky |
| Nov. 30 | at Texas A&M |
However before conference play starts and after a season-opening matchup with Colorado State, Texas has to head to Michigan to play the 2023 National Champion Wolverines, coached by new U-M head man Sherrone Moore. The game was originally going to be played in Austin, but around this time last year UT and U-M agreed to make the 2024 contest the one in Ann Arbor with the 2027 matchup taking place in Austin. The move was likely made to provide Fox, whose opportunities to air Texas games will be very limited going forward, with an additional chance to have burnt orange on its airwaves since the Longhorns’ SEC games will be on the ESPN family of networks.
“Chris Del Conte did me a favor and said you get to go to Michigan too in week two,” Sarkisian quipped.
Sarkisian would continue his thoughts on the Wolverines, saying “we’re going to go to Michigan in week two, who is the defending national champions. Obviously, they have some turnover and things on their team and their staff, but they’re a very good football team. Don’t mistake that. Should be a heck of a trip to Ann Arbor.”
After the contest with the Wolverines and two more non-conference affairs with UTSA and Louisiana-Monroe, Texas starts SEC play with a visit from Mississippi State. A bye week ensues, followed by what might be the toughest stretch of games for the program since the Mack Brown days.
“How many years would you say you’re going to play in the Red River Rivalry against OU in Dallas and the very next week come home and play Georgia, who will be the No. 1 team in the country,” Sarkisian said.
Texas heads to Vanderbilt following its contest with UGA, then enjoys a second bye week. November 9 begins the final stretch of the 2024 regular season with a matchup with the Gators. Despite Billy Napier‘s struggles through his first two seasons, Sarkisian emphasized the fact that there remains plenty of talent on the Florida roster.
“Then you navigate your way through, and everyone’s like ‘a yawner against Florida,'” Sarkisian said. “This is the University of Florida. They’re loaded.”
After hosting Kentucky and renewing a rivalry at Arkansas, the Longhorns go to Kyle Field for the program’s first football game against Texas A&M since 2011.
“Then, we get to finish up our season in College Station to renew that rivalry with A&M.”
Sarkisian made it clear he believes his team will be ready to renew that rivalry. The matchup in College Station will mark the end of the regular season slate. Whether or not the Longhorns continue on to Atlanta, Ga. for the SEC Championship game remains to be seen.
But the 12 games prior have Texas’ fourth-year head coach ready to get things going on August 31.
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“This is an awesome schedule, and one that we’re looking forward to,” Sarkisian said. “It’s going to be a heck of a run.”
