How The Texas Longhorns' Non-Conference Schedule Is Preparing Them For SEC Play

The Texas Longhorns are getting an early taste of SEC play in their non-conference schedule

Sep 6, 2025; Austin, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian and players hold up their horns with the fans during the singing of the Eyes of Texas after a victory over the San Jose State Spartans at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. | Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

The Texas Longhorns are 1-1 through two weeks of the season. They have their last non-conference game coming up, then a bye week before hitting the road to Florida for their first road game of the season.

Despite the multiple different offenses they have faced so far, with a new one on the horizon against UTEP, head coach Steve Sarkisian believes that will be a big difference for his team when conference play begins.

Having the experience of scheming for different styles, while having to adjust, could be the difference between losing in Atlanta for the second year in a row or winning the SEC for the first time in program history.

Practice Makes Perfect

Dec 21, 2024; Austin, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns offensive lineman Hayden Conner (76) and Cole Hutson (54) against the Clemson Tigers during the CFP National playoff first round at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

With the roster turnover, including at the offensive line, being coachable and adaptable mid-game will be a big part of the Longhorns' success in the 2025 season. While they can game plan all they want, so can their opponents, and if new looks are shown, their willingness to adapt needs to be there as well.

Luckily, for Sarkisian, the non-conference games have already given moments where the teams, or individual players, must make an on-the-fly adaptation to a blocking scheme. For center Cole Hutson, it worked for them.

"We called a run early in the second quarter where their [San Jose State] will linebacker ran through and had a tackle for loss on Christian Clark. We came back to that run later, and we fixed it. Cole Hutson comes off on the will linebacker running through. We hand the ball to Clark, and it's explosive, running for about 16 yards."

While the players need to make adjustments, Sarkisian pointed out that he and his coaching staff are also using the experiences from the non-conference games as valuable lessons. Learning what works for them, what they need to work on, and how they can prepare themselves for the gauntlet of the SEC that will be here in just two weeks.

"From the variety of offenses that you get, to the style of quarterbacks that you play, to the multitude of fronts that we get in the SEC, to teams stemming from one front to another front right before the ball is snapped. We have some growing pains from a player's perspective, but there are some growing pains from a staff perspective, too."

After a slow start against Ohio State and a rebound win against the Spartans this past weekend, the Longhorns get one more true learning game before the games that determine if they make it to Atlanta in December will be played.

The team's preparation and rhythm in their first win of the season should give the new 2025 group the confidence they need to take on one of the easier SEC schedules around the league, and lead to a season that the coaching staff believes they can achieve.