The Oklahoma Sooners and Texas Longhorns are embarking on their inaugural season in the SEC, but not everyone is optimistic about their ability to contend at the top of the conference.
The discussion surrounding how the teams will fare in their debut SEC seasons persisted on Thursday. College football personality Jake Crain addressed the speculation that Oklahoma and Texas would effortlessly dominate the conference on his show, “Crain & Company.”
Crain cautioned against buying into the belief that “the SEC is only top-heavy.” Reiterating his stance, he emphasized, “The most challenging aspect of competing in the Southeastern Conference isn’t the occasional match against Alabama or Georgia. It’s the relentless and grueling competition you encounter week after week.”
The upcoming rivalry between the two teams and their new conference promises to be a captivating spectacle. It brings together two historically prestigious programs against the most robust and fiercely competitive conference in college football.
As with any football contest, specific matchups will influence the outcome. Certain SEC teams may not possess the depth or skill to prevail against the Sooners or Longhorns.
Conversely, other SEC programs boast the personnel necessary to defeat these two teams. Consequently, Texas and Oklahoma might experience a transitional phase during their initial few seasons as they adapt to the challenges of their new conference.
How will both teams fare in their first year in the SEC? It is expected that both the newcomers and their SEC rivals will achieve victories in specific matchups.
In their inaugural season, Oklahoma will encounter a challenging initial schedule, featuring home games against the Tennessee Volunteers (9-4) and the Alabama Crimson Tide (12-2). They will also face tough road matchups against the Auburn Tigers (6-7), Ole Miss Rebels (11-2), Missouri Tigers (11-2), and LSU Tigers (10-3).
Texas, on the other hand, will take on four out of five SEC teams that did not participate in a bowl game last season – the Mississippi State Bulldogs (5-7), Florida Gators (5-7), Arkansas Razorbacks (4-8), and Vanderbilt Commodores (2-10).
It appears that Oklahoma may be the team facing a formidable lineup of SEC opponents this season, although some argue that Texas’ schedule is rife with potential upsets.
Only time will reveal the impact of the teams’ new schedules on their future win-loss records. The increased pressure could either push the Sooners and Longhorns to elevate their performance or result in reduced win totals due to the competitive nature of the conference.
Oklahoma is scheduled to have its first SEC game on Sept. 21 against the Tennessee Volunteers, while Texas will kick off its first SEC battle against the Mississippi State Bulldogs on Sept. 28.
