'It Won't Be Awkward': Longhorns Steve Sarkisian Embracing Final Year in Big 12

In their final year as members of the Big 12, the Longhorns are staying the course to win their first conference title since 2009.

ARLINGTON -- There are plenty for first and finals for the Texas Longhorns entering 2023. It's the first year a quarterback competition won't be unfolding entering fall camp in the Steve Sarkisian era. It's the first season where the Horns will begin the year as the preseason favorite to win their conference since 2009. 

It's also the final year Texas will remain a member of the Big 12 before departing for the SEC alongside rival Oklahoma. Fans are delighted to join the conference whose slogan reads, "It just means more." 

The conference's coaches at Media Days could care less heading into the conclusive year. 

"It's been talked about so much now, I don't really think that any of us pay much attention to it," Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy said Wednesday at AT&T Stadium. "I mean, I'm excited about the conference this year and what we have, the schedules that are being played."

Gundy, the Big 12's longest-tenured coach, is always suitable for a quote. He's not wrong, either. News broke in 2021 that the two flagship program's future with the conference. The details for exiting early were finalized in early February. 

And the conference recently had a makeover and upgraded with the additions of four new teams in BYU, Cincinnati, Central Florida and Houston, bringing the total to 14. Over the past two years, the preseason favorites haven't hoisted up the title in December, with Kansas State (fifth), and Baylor (eighth) not being ranked inside the top three. 

So Sarkisian and the Horns could run through the motions, push past Saturdays and begin preparations for weekends in Tuscaloosa, Ala., Athens, Ga., and Baton Rouge, La. But Sarkisian is hell-bent on walking out of the Big 12 with one more title, a first for the program since the days of Mack Brown and Colt McCoy. 

"There's been so much talk about the SEC and what's happening in 2024, but I think one thing that I love about this team that we have this year is their focus on 2023 and this opportunity we have here in the Big 12," Sarksiain said in his opening press conference Wednesday. 

Since the Alamo Bowl loss against No. 12 Washington, Sarkisian has made it clear the team's focus is on 2023. During interviews throughout the "Taste of Texas" tour, the third-year Longhorns coach evaded questions on 2024, emphasizing success must come this fall first. 

When the SEC released its first 16-team schedule in early June, Sarkisian tweeted out a copy of the 2023 schedule, which later would be shared by countless players on staff. 

A mistake? A reminder of what the end goal is.

“I expect our team to play aggressive, tough, fast, physical, and smart football every Saturday,” Sarkisian said. “If we do that, we’ll put ourselves in a position to compete for a championship. But that’s the challenge we have week in and week out.”

On paper, Texas has the talent to bring a trophy back to the Forty Acres. Quarterback Quinn Ewers headlines an offense that features All-Big 12 talents in receiver Xavier Worthy and offensive tackle Kelvin Banks. Defensively, countless faces like Preseason Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year Jaylan Ford, T'Vondre Sweat, and Jahdae Barron. 

Oddsmakers also believe in the Longhorns, giving the +200 odds to win the conference and +2000 odds to finish their season at NRG Stadium in Houston with a national title. Voters also seem to be sold that Texas is the program a cut above the rest, with 41 of the 67 first-place votes going to the Forty Acres franchise. 

“I’m not sure how anybody comes up with who’s the favorite right now,” Gundy said. “One of the fun things about the Big 12 is we don’t really know who’s going to win based on what’s happened the last few years.”

Sarkisian knows there's a target on Texas' back. Most won't admit it, but coaches are salivating over the chance to cease the "we're back" chants and keep the Longhorns out of Jerry World in December. 

All the Longhorns can do is play each Saturday like it's the last because it technically is in the conference they helped founded in 1996. And as for the eventual breakup in the Big 12? 

Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but Texas is trying for the professional over emotional approach. 

"It won't be awkward for us. I can't speak for anybody else. It won't be awkward for us," Sarkisian said. "We've got a roster full of players who quite frankly came to the University of Texas to try to win a Big 12 Championship, and we've got one more opportunity to do that."

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