What's Happened Each Time Texas Has Hosted the No. 1 Overall Team at Home?

The Texas Longhorns will face off against the Ohio State Buckeyes at home on Saturday in what is one of the most highly-anticipated regular season games of the past decade.

No. 4 Texas and No. 1 Ohio State are playing for the third time in the last three seasons. It also marks just the fourth time ever that the Longhorns have hosted the top-ranked team in Austin.

Let's take a look at the other three times the Longhorns have played the No. 1 team at home in program history:

Alabama, 2022

Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Bryce Young (9) looks to throw a pass against the Texas Longhorns during the second half at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. | USA TODAY Sports

One of the more memorable games of the Steve Sarkisian era, the Longhorns hosted No. 1 Alabama in the second contest of the 2022 season. It marked the first game of the home-and-home series between the two teams.

In what might have been one of the loudest games in the history of DKR, the Longhorns scrapped with Alabama despite losing quarterback Quinn Ewers to a collarbone injury in the first half. Hudson Card led a sluggish Texas offense from that point on, but the Longhorns still managed to take a 19-17 lead with 1:29 to play.

However, Alabama drove down the field with ease to hit a game-winning field goal with 10 seconds left to go in front, 20-19.

The most notable moment of the game was when Alabama quarterback Bryce Young appeared to get sacked in the end zone, but the officials ruled that he threw the ball away even though his upper ankle was clearly down. It would have been a safety for the Longhorns and possibly could have won them the game.

Texas would get its revenge the following season in Tuscaloosa.

Ohio State, 2006

Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Troy Smith (10) winds up for his touchdown pass to Anthony Gonzalez in the first half of the game against the Texas Longhorns at Texas Memorial Stadium, September 9, 2006. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The first big game of the Colt McCoy era, the Longhorns hosted the Buckeyes with sights set on making an early-season statement as the defending national champions.

Instead, the Buckeyes dominated Texas in a 24-7 win led by quarterback Troy Smith and wide receivers Ted Gin Jr. and Anthony Gonzalaz. The Longhorns went scoreless in the second half and McCoy played poorly.

McCoy would get his revenge a few years later by beating Ohio State in the 2008 Fiesta Bowl on a game-winning touchdown pass to Quan Cosby.

SMU, 1950

SMU Mustangs helmet during the second half against the Temple Owls at Lincoln Financial Field. | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

We all remember this one!

No. 7 Texas hosted No.1 SMU and pulled off a 23-20 win at home. Byron Townsend had 26 carries for 83 yards and two touchdowns for the Longhorns while quarterback Ben Tompkins went 10 of 16 passing for 139 yards, one touchdown and one pick.

In an era that was dominated by the ground game, SMU attempted 47 passes for 352 yards, an impressive number for that time.

Legendary Texas head coach Mack Brown, 75, was born less than a year after this game was played.

Sign up to our free newsletter and follow us on Facebook, X and Instagram for the latest news.

Add us as a preferred source on Google