Texas Football: Chris del Conte takes slight shot at Texas A&M in rivalry

In a very notable Q&A with Horns247, athletic director Chris del Conte answered a number of questions in a weird time for the Texas football program.

In a virtual interview with athletic director Chris del Conte, the 247Sports Texas Longhorns site Horns247 brought about some must-see material. Horns247 asked the Texas athletic director del Conte some hard questions that are often discussed each passing offseason, specifically pertaining to the Texas football program.

Two of the most significant topics that were discussed in this virtual interview with del Conte and Horns247 were the impending college football season and the scheduling of big time rivalries on hiatus. The main rivalry that comes to mind in that regard is the Lone Star Showdown, which hasn’t transpired on the gridiron between Texas and the Texas A&M Aggies since 2011.

Following the conclusion of the 2011 college football season, Texas A&M would bolt from the Big 12 and join the SEC West. Texas A&M did face a Big 12 opponent in bowl season to cap the 2019 campaign, when they edged out the Oklahoma State Cowboys in the Texas Bowl.

But here’s what del Conte had to say on the matter pertaining to the Longhorns and Aggies re-starting the dormant Lone Star Showdown rivalry game.

"“I looked at where we were, and promptly looked at why we have to create great games at home and add an incredible value to our season ticket package,” Del Conte said. “We promptly went out and scheduled Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Ohio State and Michigan, and we have one more that we will be announcing shortly on the back end of this contract.“My goal is to play anyone that’s won a national championship in the modern era as part of our non-conference schedule. We have LSU that won a national championship in the modern era. You go down the list — Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Michigan, Ohio State — at the University of Texas, these are the brands that we should be playing home and away, and we’re going to do that. That was my scheduling philosophy.”"

Texas does have the likes of the LSU Tigers, Alabama Crimson Tide, Michigan Wolverines, and Ohio State Buckeyes scheduled throughout their non-conference slates through the 2025 season. He does have some merit to deflecting the question about bringing back the Lone Star Showdown, since Texas A&M hasn’t been on the same playing field with those four aforementioned programs.

A problem that Texas A&M fans will counter with is the fact that Texas hasn’t been in contention for the College Football Playoff National Championship since it came about in 2014 either. The closest Texas came was back in 2018, when they were in the midst of College Football Playoff contention for much of the Big 12 slate.

That all collapsed once they were upset by Oklahoma State on the road in the latter portion of the Big 12 schedule. Texas still managed to finish with double-digit wins by beating the Georgia Bulldogs in the Sugar Bowl on New Year’s Day 2019.

Moreover, on the topic of the impending college football season in the midst of the novel coronavirus pandemic, del Conte still remained optimistic. Whether is it to be played as scheduled without fans, or pushed back in some regard, he still believes there will be a football season in the coming academic year.

Texas finished up with a record of 8-5 (5-4 Big 12) after beating the No. 11 ranked Utah Utes in the Alamo Bowl last season. Meanwhile, Texas A&M rounded up with a record of 8-5 (4-4 SEC) after beating Oklahoma State in the Texas Bowl.