Texas and Texas Tech Agree To Annual Non-Conference Matchup Post Longhorns SEC Exit

Despite the Longhorns leaving the Big 12, their rivalry with Texas Tech will reportedly live on.

Matt Galatzan | Sep 10, 2021

The rivalry between Texas and Texas Tech isn't the most storied in college football. It isn't even the most storied rivalry in the state of Texas.

However, the annual matchup between the two teams is still an important game to a lot of people, including the two universities themselves.

After all, the two teams have met 70 times, with the Longhorns winning 53 of the matchups, including 17 of the last 21 matchups since the turn of the century.

However, that rivalry was suddenly put in jeopardy last month when Texas and Oklahoma elected to leave the Big 12 for the SEC -- A decision that has since been finalized, with the two schools (as of now) scheduled to make the move no later than 2025.

On Friday, however, per a report from The Lubbock Avalance-Journal, the annual game between the Longhorns and the Red Raiders was reportedly saved, after the two schools agreed in principal to play year non-conference matchups upon the Longhorns exit for the SEC.

"We have had conversations with the University of Texas about continuing to play them once they leave the Big 12 Conference, on an annual basis, in all sports," Texas Tech Athletic Director Kirby Hocutt told the Avalance-Journal, "and we have received affirmation from leadership at the University of Texas that they agree that would be a positive thing and have pledged that they will work that out with us in terms of future schedule."

As for how long the rivalry will stay alive, Hocutt also had an answer for that, detailing a verbal commitment between 20 and 25 years after Texas heads to their next conference home.

"The conversations that I have had with my colleague, (athletics director) Chris Del Conte at the University of Texas, we've spoken about a 20- to 25-year commitment," Hocutt said.

As for the rivalry this season, Texas will welcome Texas Tech to Austin on September 25th, to open up Big 12 play -- perhaps the last matchup between the two teams as Big 12 colleagues.

But thankfully, just another notch in the rivalry heading into a long future.

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Published Sep 10, 2021

MATT GALATZAN

Matt Galatzan is the Managing Editor and Publisher of Texas Longhorns On SI and Texas A&M Aggies On SI and a long-time member of the Football Writer’s Association of America. He graduated from the University of Mississippi, where he studied integrated marketing communications, with minors in journalism and business administration. Galatzan started in the sports journalism industry in 2014 covering the Dallas Mavericks and SMU Mustangs with 247Sports. He then moved to Sports Illustrated's Fan Nation network in 2020, eventually being taking over as the Managing Editor and Publisher of the Longhorns and Aggies sites a year later. You can find Galatzan on all major social media channels, including Twitter on @MattGalatzan.