A Glimpse into Texas Athletics' First Weeks in SEC Play

Here are how Texas is doing in the Southeastern Conference in its first season.

Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning (16) looks to throw the ball as the Texas Longhorns take on Mississippi State at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. / Mikala Compton/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The three Texas fall team sports -- football, soccer and volleyball -- have made their debuts in the Southeastern Conference.

With five wins, one draw and one loss, the Longhorns are making an impact in their new home. Here's how the programs are looking like at the start of conference play:

Texas Longhorns midfielder Jilly Shimkin (11) dribbles the ball as Alabama Crimson Tide defender Sydney Japic (24) applies pressure in the second half of the Longhorns' game against the Alabama Crimson Tide in their first SEC Conference match-up of the season at Mike A. Myers Stadium in Austin, Sept. 19, 2024. The game ended in a 2-2 draw. / Sara Diggins/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Texas Soccer:

Soccer was the first sport to debut in the new league. In its opening match against the Alabama Crimson Tide, the Longhorns took a 2-0 lead going into half time, but allowed the opponents to score twice in the second half for a 2-2 draw. After that, Texas traveled to Starkville for the first SEC road game against Mississippi State and fell 1-0 to the Bulldogs after conceding an early goal.

The Longhorns stayed in Mississippi, now traveling to Oxford to face Ole Miss, where they got their first conference win of the season. In non-conference play, the Horns were undefeated, with one tie against Iowa.

The greatest moment so far of the season came at home in the Cotton Holdings Lone Star Showdown, as Texas defeated in-state rivals Texas A&M 2-0 in their first conference matchup in over a decade.

Looking forward, Texas will have tough opponents in sight, including a home match against No. 1 Arkansas on Oct. 18.

Texas Longhorns outside hitter Jenna Wenaas (13) reacts to a point during the Longhorns' game against the Houston Cougars in the Gregory Gymnasium in Austin, Sept. 11, 2024. Texas won the match 3-0. / Sara Diggins/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Texas Volleyball:

The back-to-back national champions have had a rocky start to the season, and conference play started with a bang.

Volleyball was the first team to partake in this renewed Lone State rivalry with Texas A&M, and the match was worthy of the showdown. While Texas dominated the first set, the unranked Aggies dominated the second, and the last two sets were a nail-biting fight.

The Longhorns didn't even return to Austin before hitting the road to Baton Rouge to face LSU. Texas defeated the Tigers in a 3-0 sweep with 25-20, 25-20 and 25-15 set wins.

The only other SEC team currently ranked is Florida at No. 18, but that doesn't mean it will be the only challenge. Texas volleyball faces Madisen Skinner and Reagan Rutherford's former team Kentucky in Lexington on Oct. 13. On Nov. 27, they will face the team that nearly crushed their tournament hopes last year in the Tennessee Volunteers.

Texas Longhorns wide receiver Isaiah Bond (7) scores a touchdown as the Texas Longhorns take on Mississippi State at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. / Mikala Compton/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Texas Football:

it's safe to say football is the sport most fans were anxiously waiting to start since the conference move was announced in 2021.

Texas football had its SEC debut on Saturday against Mississippi State, and though it wasn't an easy game, the Horns still had a comfortable lead to end in the 35-13 win and extend an undefeated record of 5-0.

Now going into a bye week, Steve Sarkisian and his No. 2 ranked team have some work to do before heading into a triple-header, with No. 19 Oklahoma on Oct. 12, No. 5 Georgia on Oct. 21, and Vanderbilt on Oct. 26.

While the other Longhorn programs have already asserted dominance over Lone Star rival Texas A&M, football will have to wait until the last game during Thanksgiving weekend.