FORT WORTH (Texas) -- Texas and TCU fans shared tailgates in the same way they did in the past. It was a great turnout from even Indiana, where there were many households that had been divided.
Although the Longhorns' first Big 12 road match since accepting an invitation to the Southeastern Conference was not much different than the 39 previous meetings in Fort Worth that they played, the SEC background wasn't overlooked.
After a victory over the Horned Frogs 32-27, Texas linebacker DeMarvion onshown stated that "we're sitting right infront of the student section so you know we get the whole SEC discussion."
"It may be our last time playing with them, but it might not be. We know we have that target on our back. That people don't feel that they belong in the SEC, or that we can play with them, no matter where we go. They're going to have a conversation.
Liliana Ogden was part of a leadership team that got fellow TCU students excited from the row behind the Texas bench. She enjoyed the parts when the Texas players replied.
Ogden said, "They've been engaging which gets us pretty fueled," and she doesn't trash-talk herself because she is a member the TCU Dutchmen. "I cannot repeat the words they spoke that made me laugh.
No. 6 Oklahoma, which will be joining Texas in the SEC by 2025, if not sooner, also played its first Big 12 road game at Kansas State.
The home fans mocked the OU, much like years ago. When presenting the score for the Tigers' 62-24 SEC loss against Tennessee, the public address announcer made it a point of mentioning that Missouri was a former member of the Big 12 when he did so.
Chris Del Conte, Texas athletic director, said that he was not worried about the Longhorns' reception. There weren't any major incidents and there were plenty of friendly exchanges between coaches and players after the game.
Del Conte, who was the AD that brought TCU into Big 12 2012 and is now taking Texas out, said "It's awesome." "Fort Worthers are amazing. TCU students are amazing. We are glad to be here.
David Gladbach from Texas was there with a friend who had been a Little League coach in Fort Worth. He knew that the Longhorns' first road conference game wouldn't be too big a deal for him.
Gladbach stated before the game that "there won't be any differences." "The animosity that exists is there regardless what conference you are in."
Although there were a few signs for students, most of them had messages that could have been used in any year. One exception was the one that said, "Can't Beat the Hogs, Won't Beat the Frogs", referring to Texas' loss to Arkansas 40-21 three weeks ago, when the Longhorns were No. 15 and the Razorbacks weren't ranked.
Jaydon Boyer and Jairus Boyer, brothers, traveled from Indiana to join their father. This was not in anticipation or of any Big 12 SEC chatter. However, Jaydon Boyer grew up rooting against Texas and Jaydon for TCU.
Jaydon Boyer (19 years old) fell in love with the Horned Frogs 10 years ago, when they were winning the Mountain West Conference. Jairus Boyer, a three-year-old, fell in love the Colt McCoy-led Longhorns.
When Texas fled for the SEC, the younger Boyer wasn't mad at him.
Jaydon Boyer, his brother and dad laughed as he said that he believed they were leaving because they are afraid to play with us. "That's how it is."
TCU will soon have four Big 12 rivals in BYU and Cincinnati, Houston, Houston, and Central Florida within two years. It is now a question of whether Texas and Oklahoma will still be members after expansion. The Sooners and Longhorns could be out of the country by 2025.
Rachel Bertelson, a Texas fan who attended the game with a TCU alum, said that "I still feel like it will fuel the fire" "This is possibly the last TCU-Texas match in people's minds."
Bijan Robinson, Texas running back, was a sophomore who ran for a record-breaking 216 yards in his first game with TCU. He heard the chatter as Overshown. Robinson was not among those who responded.
Robinson stated, "I can hear it from the back, constant negative stuff." "I don't care. "I don't care. I just smile and worry about the task at hand, what's next. It's great to watch the team work together and get rid of that stuff.
