Big 12 Schedule Release: Longhorns To Face BYU, Houston in 2023

BYU and Houston will replace West Virginia and Oklahoma State on Texas' newest schedule.

Author:
Cole Thompson
Jan 31, 2023 2:56 PM EST

In this story:

Texas Longhorns

Houston Cougars

BYU Cougars

In a new era of Big 12 football, the Texas Longhorns now know their fate for the 2023 season.

The Longhorns will open conference play at McLane Stadium against Baylor on Sept. 23. Texas will return home to Royal-Memorial Stadium on Sept. 30 for its home Big 12 home opener against Kansas before heading to Dallas to take on Oklahoma in the Cotton Bowl on Oct. 7 in the Red River Showdown.

The Longhorns will have four conference home games against Kansas, BYU (Oct. 28), Kansas State (Nov. 4) and Texas Tech (Nov. 24). On the flip side, Texas will travel to four different cities, including Houston for its revival of a Southwest Conference classic against the Cougars on Oct. 21.

The Longhorns and Cougars haven't met on the football field since 2002.

On top of traveling to Waco and Houston, the Longhorns will have road tips to Fort Worth to face national champion runner-up TCU on Nov. 11, and Ames to face Iowa State on Nov. 18. Texas will not face Cincinnati, Central Florida Oklahoma State, and West Virginia as part of the expanded conference schedule.

The 2023 season marks the first time since 2010 that the Big 12 will feature at least 12 programs with the arrival of BYU, Cincinnati, Houston, and UCF. Texas and Oklahoma will remain in the conference through their current contract before joining the SEC on July 1, 2025.

As a whole, Texas will play six games at Royal-Memorial Stadium in 2023, including its season-opener against Rice on Sept. 2. The Longhorns will also be making a trip down Tuscaloosa, Ala. for a highly-anticipated rematch against Alabama at Bryant-Denny Stadium on Sept. 9.

Last season in Week 2, Texas nearly pulled off the upset against Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide in front of a pack DKR crowd. Quarterback Quinn Ewers suffered an AC shoulder sprain during the first quarter, leading to an eventual 20-19 loss.

The Longhorns finished 8-5 under second-year coach Steve Sarkisian last fall, including losing 27-20 in the Alamo Bowl against then-No. 12 Washington. The expectation is the offense will vastly improve despite the departures of running backs Bijan Robinson and Roschon Johnson. In large part, quarterback play is expected to be a strength with the arrival of top-ranked prospect Arch Manning.

Here's Texas' full 2023 schedule: