It’s no secret that the Texas Longhorns are moving to the SEC primarily for football. That said, several exciting basketball matchups are on the horizon for the team starting in the 2024-25 season.
Texas has several potential rivalries in the making in its new conference. From teams that hired former Longhorns coaches, to past Big 12-SEC Challenge matchups and NCAA tournament battles, multiple new conference opponents are reason for excitement in the Longhorns’ new league.
The ‘Horns enter the conference on the heels of three straight NCAA tournament appearances with at least one tournament victory. In 2022, Texas fell to the Purdue Boilermakers after defeating Virginia Tech in the Round of 64. The following season, the Longhorns reached the Elite Eight before losing to Miami.
Last season, Texas lost to Tennessee in the Round of 32 after a win over Colorado State in its first game.
With Texas in good position to compete in its new conference, here are five of the most interesting opponents the Longhorns will play against in 2025.
Mar 13, 2024; Nashville, TN, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks guard Tramon Mark (12) slams the ball against the Vanderbilt Commodores during the second half at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-USA TODAY Sports
In case you missed it, Texas just poached Arkansas’ leading scorer from last season in shooting guard Tramon Mark. These two programs don’t need any reason for animosity after several decades of bitter rivalry in the past. The Longhorns will have to compete against new head coach John Calipari when they next face the Razorbacks on the basketball court.
Feb 1, 2022; Lubbock, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns head coach Chris Beard looks up at the scoreboard in the second half during the game against the Texas Tech Red Raiders at United Supermarkets Arena. Mandatory Credit: Michael C. Johnson-USA TODAY Sports
It’s uncertain what type of reaction the Texas fanbase will have when the Longhorns face Ole Miss head coach Chris Beard. The former Longhorns head coach is responsible for assembling the team and staff that lifted Texas out of mediocrity to an Elite Eight run in 2023. Even so, the circumstances that led to his departure from the team are difficult to forget. No matter the case, Texas will want to win against Ole Miss perhaps more than it does against most of its SEC opponents.
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