AUSTIN (KXAN) - The Texas football team has been incredible at not getting ahead of themselves in 2024. Trap games don't trap them. Bulletin board material does not materialize. Now the most anticipated game of their season though, is here.
The Longhorns are now set to face Texas A&M with the winner clinching a spot in the SEC Championship game the following week against Georgia. For the first time since 2011, Texas and Texas A&M will play each other.
"We all know Kyle Field is a very loud stadium," said Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian. "They have a great fan base. We've seen teams go there and get impacted by the crowd noise."
The environment Saturday is expected to be as good as any in college football this season. With that being said, the Longhorns have entered some other hostile environments this season.
Junior wide receiver Matthew Golden recalls the Red River Rivalry against Oklahoma where he knew his team could handle adverse moments away from home.
"That was a good environment to play in," said Golden. "That was my first time. It was split down the middle...staying connected as a team and going out there and handling business, it feels good."
Texas also went on the road for wins at Michigan and Arkansas. Those games and those moments leave the Longhorns feeling more prepared for Saturday's raucous atmosphere in College Station.
"Defensively we talk about this is the moment that we strive for," said Longhorns junior defensive back Michael Taaffe. "When the hate is on us, we love it. We enjoy it. We kind of shine in moments where nobody is rooting for us."
"We turn these away games into home games almost," said Longhorns senior linebacker David Gbenda. "Not from the atmosphere but in the sense of how we play and how we embrace the environment. It's just a different type of energy we bring about."
Texas and Texas A&M will kick off Saturday at 6:30 p.m. in College Station. Texas Gameday is the official pregame show of Texas football and will starting at 5:30 p.m. Saturday on KBVO.
