The 2015 Texas Longhorns (5-7) went 4-5 in Big 12 Conference play and had two big wins in-conference, including a 24-17 victory over Oklahoma in the Red River Shootout and a 23-17 victory on the road at Baylor. In addition to these victories, Texas also suffered a few ugly defeats, including a 38-3 beatdown from the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.
One of the culprits of Texas’ inconsistent play was its performance at the quarterback position. Texas quarterbacks only threw nine touchdown passes last season, but many are expecting that figure to rise this season. Incoming freshman quarterback Shane Buechele is receiving a lot of fanfare, but expect Tyrone Swoopes and Jerrod Heard to be mixed in during running situations. Speaking of running, Texas averaged 224.8 rushing yards per game, the third highest mark in the Big 12. Swoopes, D’Onta Foreman, and Chris Warren III anchored this rushing attack and will look to punish opposing defenses once again in the upcoming campaign.
On defense, Texas will have to improve immediately. Texas’ defense allowed 453 yards per game, one of the worst marks in the Big 12 Conference. The defense did register 37 sacks, but a leaky run defense was exposed time after time. When reviewing Texas’ 2016 home schedule, some games stand out. An early season rematch against Notre Dame was circled after last season’s horrific showing. In the Big 12, Texas will have home games against Baylor, West Virginia, and TCU. Above all, the annual Red River Shootout at the Cotton Bowl will be the most important contest of the season. While some ticket prices to select games are soaring in price, fans can at least save some money on their travel by finding their parking in Austin through ParkWhiz.com, which has cheap parking options at countless venues. An overview of Texas’ top four games, in terms of get-in ticket price, are presented below.
9/4 vs. Notre Dame Fighting Irish I Darrell K Royal Texas Memorial Stadium I Get-In Ticket Price: $206
On Sunday, September 4, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish will travel to Darrell K Royal Texas Memorial Stadium for one of the biggest showdowns of college football’s opening weekend. This game will start at 6:30PM and will be televised nationally on NBC. Last season’s 38-3 defeat to the Irish unfortunately set the tone for a dismal first half. Notre Dame outclassed Texas in every aspect of the game and will look for a second straight victory over the Longhorns. Expect Texas to play with a lot of emotion in this re-match, especially with the game at home and in front of national audience. Fans that want to attend this game can check out Razorgator, where Notre Dame vs. Texas Longhorns tickets start at $206.
10/8 vs. Oklahoma Sooners I Cotton Bowl I Get-In Ticket Price: $170
The 2016 edition of the Red River Shootout will be played on Saturday, October 8. These two teams engage in one of the best rivalries in college football–and it’s a game that Texas has historically dominated. Texas is 61-44-5 all-time against Oklahoma and has won two of its last three meetings. An early-season victory over the Sooners here could launch them into much bigger things for the 2016 seasons. On Razorgator, Texas vs. Oklahoma Sooners tickets start at $170, which is understandably their second highest get-in ticket price of the season.
10/29 vs. Baylor Bears I Darrell K Royal Texas Memorial Stadium I Get-In Ticket Price: $48
Texas and Baylor will square off on Saturday, October 29, in Austin. Last season, Texas pulled an upset in Waco, so expect the Bears to play motivated and hungry in this game. Baylor did not have its star quarterback, Seth Russell, in this match-up, which could be the difference in atoning for last year’s loss at the hands of the Longhorns. The get-in ticket price for this game is $48, which figures to be one of the better bargains of the season for Texas football.
11/25 vs. TCU Horned Frogs I Darrell K Royal Texas Memorial Stadium I Get-In Ticket Price: $48
Texas will close out its 2016 home slate with a game against TCU on Friday, November 25. Texas has dominated the all-time rivalry against opposite its in-state foe, 62-23, but TCU has won two straight over the Longhorns. Additionally, TCU embarrassed Texas, 50-7, last season, so expect the Longhorns to play with some extra motivation on Senior Day. Ticket prices for this final home game start at $48.