Texas One of Few Programs With Winning Record Against Alabama, Nearly Entire SEC

The series, "Welcome to the SEC, Texas" profiles some of the traditions and unique things that the Longhorns will be bringing to the conference.
T.G. Paschal/Bama Central

There are only two Southeastern Conference schools that have a winning record against Texas, and they'll probably surprise you: South Carolina and Vanderbilt. 

However, the Gamecocks enjoyed their only meeting with the Longhorns in 1957, long before South Carolina joined the SEC, and the Commodores haven't faced them since 1928. 

Otherwise, Texas has an outstanding record against the teams in its new league, including against Alabama. Not only do the Longhorns have a winning record against the Crimson Tide, they have the best record of any team that has faced Alabama more than once outside of Rice (3-0). 

Texas is 7-1 in the series. 

A lot of the Longhorns' success against the SEC is due to being matched up for bowl games, many of which were played in the Cotton Bowl. Game organizers love to have a representative of the Lone Star State when possible, with Texas having the most appearances, and by a wide margin. 

Texas has played 22 times in the Cotton Bowl, with Texas A&M second with 13, and Arkansas third with 12. 

The Longhorns' first bowl game was the 1943 Cotton Bowl, and they were matched against Georgia Tech, when the Yellowjackets were still in the SEC. Texas won 14-7.

It also played Missouri in the 1946 version, long before the Tigers joined the SEC, and won again, 40-27. 

It's probably not a coincidence that the only active SEC members who have not played in the Cotton Bowl are South Carolina and Vanderbilt.  

The Alabama series dates back to 1902, and Texas won all three meetings before Alabama claimed its first national title in 1925. 

The first postseason game was the 1948 Sugar Bowl, where No. 5 Texas thumped No. 6 Alabama, 27-7.

The Longhorns are 4-1-1 in postseason meetings. However, Alabama won the only time a national title was on the line for both schools, the 2010 BCS National Championship Game at the Rose Bowl. 

Marcell Dareus knocked Texas quarterback Colt McCoy out of the game, plus intercepted shovel pass and returned it 28-yards for a touchdown just before halftime, to help lead a 37-21 victory. 

Alabama had two running backs top 100 rushing yards and score two touchdowns in the game, Mark Ingram II and Trent Richardson, and Eryk Anders had a crucial sack and strip that Courtney Upshaw recovered to help kill Texas' comeback chances.    

This was Alabama's first title since 1992, its eighth since the advent of the polls in the 1930s and its seventh Associated Press championship. It also marked the beginning of the Crimson Tide dynasty under Nick Saban, with his second title overall and first at Alabama. 

Texas vs. SEC

CFP record: 0-0

Bowl games: 16-8 (vs. current SEC teams)

Overall: 

School, Record, Last Meeting

Alabama 7-1-1, 2010 Rose Bowl: Crimson Tide 31-27 

Arkansas 56-22, 2014, Longhorns 31-7 

Auburn 5-3, 1991, Tigers 14-10

Florida 2-0-1, 1940, Longhorns 26-0 

Georgia 3-1, 1983, Longhorns 28-21

Kentucky 1-0, 1951, Longhorns 7-6

LSU 9-8-1, 2019, Tigers 45-38

Mississippi State 2-2 1998, Longhorns 38-11

Missouri 18-6, 2017, Longhorns 33-16 

Oklahoma* 62-48-5, 2019, Sooners 45-43 (4 OT)

Ole Miss 6-2, 2013, Rebels 44-23

South Carolina 0-1, 1957, Gamecocks 27-21

Tennessee 2-1, 1968, Longhorns 36-13

Texas A&M 76-37-5, 2011, Aggies 33-31

Vanderbilt 3-8-1, 1928, Commodores 13-12 

This is the final story in the "Welcome to the SEC, Texas" series that examines the history of the Longhorns football program, and what it will bring to the SEC. Parts of this post originated from the book, Huddle Up: Texas Football.

Welcome to the Southeastern Conference, Texas!

The Coaching Legacy at Texas Begins With One Name: Darrell Royal

Texas Football is Known for Star Players Like Earl Campbell, Ricky Williams

Texas Football Traditions Stand as Tall as a Tower

Texas Longhorns? Rivalries? Not a Problem

Texas National Championships Highlighted by 2005 Longhorns


Published
Christopher Walsh
CHRISTOPHER WALSH

Christopher Walsh is the founder and publisher of BamaCentral, which first published in 2018. He's covered the Crimson Tide since 2004, and is the author of 26 books including Decade of Dominance, 100 Things Crimson Tide Fans Should Know and Do Before They Die, Nick Saban vs. College Football, and Bama Dynasty: The Crimson Tide's Road to College Football Immortality. He's an eight-time honoree of Football Writers Association of America awards and three-time winner of the Herby Kirby Memorial Award, the Alabama Sports Writers Association’s highest writing honor for story of the year. In 2022, he was named one of the 50 Legends of the ASWA. Previous beats include the Green Bay Packers, Arizona Cardinals and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, along with Major League Baseball’s Arizona Diamondbacks. Originally from Minnesota and a graduate of the University of New Hampshire, he currently resides in Tuscaloosa.