The Longhorns played their first-ever football game at the University of Texas at Austin in 1893, making the franchise well over 100 years old. They’ve since played in four different conferences, including an affiliation with the Big 12 from 1996 to 2024.

Athletics at the University of Texas have produced a number of phenomenal players, but only two of their footballers have been awarded Heisman Trophies. Earl Campbell was given one in 1977, while Ricky Williams was awarded a trophy in 1998.

The Longhorns play at Darrell K. Royal - Texas Memorial Stadium, which is named after beloved former coach Darrell Royal. As coach, Royal never had a losing season with the Longhorns. He also led the team to three National Championships and eleven conference titles. Royal is one of two Longhorns coaches who have been inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.

Mack Brown was one of the best Longhorns coaches in history. He is credited as being instrumental in UT Austin’s resurgence as a dominant force in NCAA football.

UT Austin has won an impressive 32 conference titles throughout their multiple conference affiliations.

Over the years, the Longhorns have claimed four college football National Championships.

As with any college football team of the Longhorns’ caliber, there are plenty of rivalries to go around. The ones we are choosing to highlight have had conference-wide ramifications, as well as results that impacted the entire league. However, we should still mention a few of UT Austin’s other notable rivals.

The Longhorns have played memorable football games against teams like the Alabama Crimson Tide, the BYU Cougars, the Houston Cougars, and the Iowa State Cyclones, just to name a few. With that in mind, here are a few of the most important rivalries in Texas Longhorns history.

Some rivalries are so epic that they deserve their own special name, and the one between the Longhorns and the Oklahoma Sooners is no exception. This historic feud is known by fans as “The Red River Rivalry.” At different points, it has also been called “The Red River Showdown,” “The Red River Matchup,” and more. In 2023, though, the name was officially switched back.

Though the teams first met on the field in 1900, the rivalry didn’t really catch on until nearly 30 years later. In 1929, these teams started an annual matchup that would delight and enrage fans for years to come.

There was concern that the Red River Rivalry would be interrupted since the Longhorns are moving from the Big 12 Conference to the Southeastern Conference in 2024. That’s when it was announced that the Sooners would also be switching in the same year, so the showdown can continue as planned.

Rather than playing at either the Longhorns’ home field or the Oklahoma Sooners’ home field of Gaylord Family - Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, they play somewhere else entirely. Instead, the two teams meet up in Dallas at the Cotton Bowl Stadium.

Ticket prices for this event will only go up the closer it gets to game day. Luckily, TickPick has you covered all throughout the college football season. We have game tickets that are 10% less than other sites online, so you’re always getting the best possible deal.

It was tough to choose which Texas-based team we should mention as the Longhorns’ main rivals. After all, UT Austin has history with the Houston Cougars at TDECU Stadium, the Baylor Bears in Waco at McLane Stadium, the Texas Tech Red Raiders at Jones AT&T Stadium, and the TCU Horned Frogs in Fort Worth at Amon G. Carter Stadium. After careful consideration, we have to give the coveted spot of top state rival to the Texas A&M Aggies.

The Longhorns and the Aggies first faced off in 1894, but it wasn’t until a few decades later that matchups between them would become a staple of the Texas sports scene. Their streak of annual games began in 1915. Since then, they played each other every year until 2011. 

Games between the Texas Longhorns and the Texas A&M Aggies were historically played at either Darrell K Royal - Texas Memorial Stadium (home of the Longhorns) or Kyle Field (home of the Aggies). 

This annual faceoff was put on hold due to a switch in conferences after the Aggies decided to move from the Big 12 Conference to the Southeastern Conference (SEC) in 2011.

For those who have missed this impassioned rivalry over the past decade, we have good news: The feud is set to come back in full force beginning when the Longhorns also make the move from the Big 12 to the SEC. Fans expect that their rivalry will be just as fiery as ever, and we can’t wait to see how it pans out.

Longhorns fans will be delighted to know that the series stands at Texas with 76 victories, Texas A&M with 37, and five ties. That being said, 13 years and a switch in conferences could make all the difference for the Aggies. 

As we mentioned, the Longhorns play at a stadium named after legendary coach Darrell Royal. Darrel K. Royal - Texas Memorial Stadium seats an incredible 100,119 people. 

However, the largest single-game occupancy ever recorded was during a matchup between the Longhorns and the Alabama Crimson Tide. During that game, the stadium managed to hold 105,213 people. The Crimson Tide’s own stadium (Bryant-Denny Stadium) holds slightly fewer people, at 100,077.

DKR - Texas Memorial Stadium has served as the field for the Longhorns’ home games since 1924. As a result, this hub for both occasional fans and season ticket holders is as full of history as it is of excitement.

Take a look at our interactive seating chart of DKR - Texas Memorial Stadium for an up close and personal view of what you can expect to see. 

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