Texas Has Always Been Long on Rivalries, But Not With Championships

Would it surprise you to learn that that Longhorns have won only four national titles, one of which was a split championship?

So how long did it take Texas to annoy the rest of the fans in the Southeastern Conference when the league announced that the Longhorns were set to join along with Oklahoma in 2025?

About as long as it takes to rope a calf in a prize-winning rodeo.

Steve Sarkisian quickly demonstrated that he had the Lone Star attitude down. During his first press outing after word leaked that the Longhorns would be leaving the Big 12, he was asked about the conference where he just won a national championship as Alabama's offensive coordinator.

“I didn’t take this job blind," Steve Sarkisian said. "We’re everybody’s biggest game.

Biggest game?

Don't you have to win something first to be considered anyone's biggest game?

Granted, Texas has been thought to be a bully in the Big 12, especially since it gets the biggest cut of the revenue in a conference that's had unequal distribution. Rivalry wins by the likes of Oklahoma, or the numerous in-state teams, weren't just celebrated, but any victory against the Longhorns were relished the other fans.  

But you know it's what Sarkisian's new fan base wanted to hear. 

He added: "I think coming out of [the decision] and the talk of what’s happened, our bull’s-eye got a little bit bigger. We can’t be naive to that. Whether it’s crowd noise, whether it’s yelling at us on the bench, whether it’s the ‘Horns Down’ signal, all those things are really irrelevant to our ability to execute and succeed at a really high level.”

Texas faced one SEC opponent last season, visiting one of its oldest rivals, Arkansas, and was promptly pummeled 40-21. The Longhorns went on to finish 5-7, missed out on playing in a bowl game, and finished tied for seventh in the Big 12. 

“We’ve got a lot of unfinished business here in the Big 12 that we want to make sure we take care of,” Sarkisian said. “This year is really the start of it. That’s really where our focus is. I don’t know what the timetable on this other thing is looking like.”

Texas National Titles

It may surprise you to learn that Texas, which is considered one of the biggest and most successful football programs in college football, took 70 years to win its first national title.

The Longhorns have been around since 1893, but didn't really become a college football power until 1963.

Moreover, Texas has only won four national titles, one of which was a split championship:

1963

Although it began the season ranked fifth in the Associated Press Poll, Texas had climbed up to No. 2 when it faced No. 1 Oklahoma in the Red River Shootout. The two programs combined for 101 rushing carries and just 13 passes, but it was the Longhorns who ruled the day. Running back Tommy Ford led 77 yards and a touchdown as Texas won the showdown 28-7.

But that wasn't the lone key game for the Longhorns.

Against Baylor, Duke Carlisle made a leaping interception with 29 seconds remaining to preserve a 7-0 victory, and at Texas A&M, the Longhorns had to come back from a 13-3 deficit in the fourth quarter to help preserve the 11-0 season.

Darrell Royal's team capped the season with a 28-6 victory over No. 2 Navy, led by Heisman Trophy winner Roger Staubach, in the Cotton Bowl, 28-6.

Defensive tackle Scott Appleton was a consensus All-American and won the Outland Trophy, whole the defense also had linebacker Tommy Nobis, two years before he won the Maxwell Award and was subsequently selected first in the 1965 NFL Draft.

1969

There were a lot of parallels between the Longhorns' title seasons at that point, as both included a No. 1 vs. 2 matchup, but this time it wasn't against Oklahoma.

Texas was again No. 2 in the Red River Shootout, but the Sooners were No. 8, and the difference was evident on the field. The Longhorns won 27-17.

Instead, the No. 1 vs. No. 2 game was at Arkansas, where President Richard Nixon attended the "Game of the Century." The No. 1 Longhorns were getting shut out until the fourth quarter when quarterback James Street keyed the comeback. He ran for a touchdown and two-point conversion, and connected with receiver Randy Peschel on a crucial fourth-and-3 play late in regular-season finale.

But Texas wasn't done yet, and took its wishbone offense to the Cotton Bowl to face Notre Dame. After trailing most of the game, the Longhorns capped a 76-yard touchdown drive with 68 seconds remaining to pull off the 21-17 victory.

The Longhorns led the nation in rushing by averaging 363 yards. Fullback Steve Worster, wide receiver Cotton Speyrer, linebacker Glen Halsell and tackles Bob McKay and Bobby Wuensch were named to various All-American teams.

1970

Texas was ranked either No. 1 or 2 through the whole regular season, which culminated with an impressive 42-7 victory over No. 4 Arkansas.

At the time the final coaches poll was done before bowl games were played, to the Longhorns finished at No. 1. However, the Associated Press opted for Nebraska after Notre Dame beat Texas in the Cotton Bowl, 24-11.

Texas out-gained Notre Dame 426-359, and quarterback Eddie Phillips did the same to his counterpart Joe Theisman in passing yards (199 to 176), but the Longhorns had nine fumbles, losing five, and had another turnover in the air. Theisman rushed for two touchdowns and notched another in the air.

The loss snapped a 30-game winning streak for the Longhorns. Out of the wishbone, Phillips ran for 666 yards while leading the balanced rushing attack that included Steve Worster, Jim Bertelsen and Billy Dale. The Longhorns averaged 374.5 rushing yards per game.

Worster, Bobby Wuensch and Bill Atessis were consensus All-Americans and nine players were selected in the subsequent NFL draft. The senior class finished with a three-year record of 30-2-1.

2005

It was simply one of the best, and most exciting, national championship games ever played.

Although Pete Carroll's talented Southern California team boasted not one, but two Heisman Trophy winners in Reggie Bush and Matt Leinart, neither was on the field when the game was decided. In arguably the grandest stage in college football, the Rose Bowl, Texas quarterback Vince Young took off on fourth-and-5 and scored an 8-yard touchdown with 19 seconds remaining.

With it, Texas dramatically stunned the No. 1 Trojans, 41-38.

"Do whatever it takes," said Young, who set a Rose Bowl record with 467 yards of total offense. He completed 30 of 40 passes for 267 yards and averaged 10.5 yards for carry while rushing for 200 yards and three touchdowns.

Overall, the game featured more than 1,100 total yards.

Texas finished 13-0, including a narrow early-season 25-22 victory at No. 4 Ohio State. The Longhorns were No. 2 in the polls from the preseason through crushing Colorado 70-3 in the Big 12 Championship Game.

The 652 points scored by Mack Brown's team set an NCAA record. 

Parts of this post originated from the book, Huddle Up: Texas Football. This is the first story in a series that will examine the history of the Longhorns football program, and what it will bring to the Southeastern Conference.

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