Longhorn Band Not Traveling To Alabama Due To Seating Policy

The Texas Longhorns and Alabama Crimson Tide aren't playing a conference, which has led to a little pettiness in back-to-back years between the two schools.

The No. 11 Texas Longhorns have revenge on their minds heading to Tuscaloosa, Alabama, to face the No. 4 Crimson Tide, and the pettiness is ramping up before the two teams even take the field.

After Texas was unable to guarantee lower-level seating for Alabama's Million Dollar Band last season, the university did not send them to Austin. Well, the Crimson Tide have returned the favor and the University of Texas Longhorn Band will not travel to Bryant-Denny Stadium for Saturday's 6 p.m. CT matchup on ESPN.

"We are able to reciprocate a similar seating arrangement to what we had last year in Austin," Alabama athletics director Greg Byrne told The Tuscaloosa News.

The Southeastern Conference requires hosting institutions to allot 5,000 tickets in the lower deck for visiting teams. However, since Texas has not joined the SEC, the rule does not apply.

Alabama's athletics department said if Texas' marching band were to make the 11-hour trip, the only available seating would be in the upper deck.

Texas and Alabama will be the premier game of the Week 2 slate, and will likely host ESPN's "College GameDay." Pat McAfee, a "College GameDay" cohost, will be hosting a live episode of "The Pat McAfee Show" Friday on Alabama's campus and will be back to do a live ESPN simulcast on the field during the game. 

The Longhorns enter as a seven-point underdog to the Crimson Tide after winning their season opener against Rice 37-10. Alabama defeated Middle Tennessee 56-7 in quarterback Jalen Milroe's first start of 2023.