Longhorns 'Can't Be Fearful' of Raucous Baylor Environment
AUSTIN - Entering conference play on Saturday in Waco against the Baylor Bears, the Texas Longhorns are unequivocally the Big 12's public enemy No. 1.
Upon their acceptance into the SEC, Texas not only earned the ire of Big 12 commissioner Brett Yorkmark but also of opposing fans, who have used the move as yet another reason to hate the Horns.
Now, as they head into McLane Stadium to face Baylor for what could be the final time in the regular season, Steve Sarkisian expects that hate to be in peak form from the Bears faithful.
“I think we need to understand what we’re walking into," Sarkisian said. "We’re going to go into Baylor here Saturday night on the road. It’s been well documented, as of right now, this is the last time we’re going to go there. So we understand the environment we’re walking into, so we can’t be fearful of that.”
The Longhorns faced a similar challenge when they went to Tuscaloosa in Week 2, and played in front of a raucous Crimson Tide crowd.
And not only did they handle it, they thrived, taking down the Tide 34-24.
“We can’t sit here and be a punching bag," Sarkisian said. "We have to walk in there, be in attack mode, and we have to make sure that we’re built for the environment. I think we have proven that to ourselves now over the last couple of road games that we've had, no more than going to Alabama and embracing that environment. So we're going to have to do the same Saturday night. ”
But this is different. This is a Big 12 rival.
And at least for Baylor fans, there is a lot on the line in terms of bragging rights - just as there will be for the rest of the Longhorns Big 12 slate.
"The Big 12 doesn’t care that we’re 3-0," said Sarkisian. "The Big 12 doesn’t care that we’re ranked No. 30 in the AP poll. We are 0-0 in Big 12 play.”
The Longhorns and Bears are set to kick off at McLane Stadium at 6:30 pm CT
