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Aug 06, 2023

Dana Holgorsen on Texas, Texas A&M: 'Screw Them'

After spending 12 seasons in separate conferences, Texas and Texas A&M will both call the SEC home in 2024 and with that, will take what were once considered the Lone Star State’s two premiere

After spending 12 seasons in separate conferences, Texas and Texas A&M will both call the SEC home in 2024 and with that, will take what were once considered the Lone Star State’s two premiere football programs in the Big 12.

Things have certainly changed over the years though, as programs like TCU, Baylor, and Texas Tech have bolstered themselves into powers of their own, giving the Big 12 plenty of leg to stand on in the State of Texas.

Now, Houston will begin its ascent into the rarified air of Texas’ elite football schools as it kicks off its first season in the Big 12 in just a matter of days. However, according to Cougars head coach Dana Holgosen, this day could’ve come a long time ago had it not been for the Longhorns and Aggies.

During Holgorsen’s radio show on Tuesday, a guest expressed his disappointment with Texas and Texas A&M’s decision to leave for the SEC, rather than stick around in the Big 12.

“One of the disappointments I have is the conference coming up,” the fan told Holgorsen. “I think everybody when they told you, ‘Oh we want to be in a bigger conference, oh we want to be in a better conference,’ they were assuming the conference would include Texas and Texas A&M. That has since changed and I’m a bit disappointed in that and I’m sure other people are.”

Holgorsen, renowned for his brutal honesty in moments like this, didn’t disappoint in his response.

“You can have that opinion about Texas and Texas A&M if you want to, but they are the reasons we weren’t in the Big 12,” Holgorsen said. “Those two are the specific reasons why we haven’t been in the Big 12 the last 28 years. Screw them. They can go wherever they want. They don’t want us, and we don’t want them. So move on.”

Well, it doesn’t get much more candid than that.

Houston will get its 2023 season started off with a tricky game against UTSA on Saturday, where they find themselves a 1.5-point underdog.