The Longhorns are now just days away from kicking off their conference schedule with a road game against the Florida Gators. Ahead of the SEC matchup, the pressure was on for Texas to prove that the team deserved its top-10 ranking and a place atop the conference.
When talking about the upcoming matchup, Texas defensive lineman Hero Kanu gave one of the most memorable quotes of the year.
"Obviously, my name is Hero, but when you go on a road game, you're the villain," Kanu said about the Horns making the trip to Gainesville.
The senior linebacker transferred to Texas this postseason after spending two years at Ohio State. So far this year, he has earned seven total tackles (three solo), one sack, and one pass deflection, with two tackles coming against his former team.
While the Longhorns have seemingly found their footing after a rocky start to the year, the Gators have regressed as the season has moved on. Currently, Florida is 1-3 overall and 0-1 in the SEC, but on the other side of the ball, Texas has yet to play a conference opponent.
Last year, the Horns easily got past the Gators with a 49-17 victory, but that game was at DKR, and Texas was almost an entirely different team. With young players starting on both sides of the ball, and without the home-field advantage, this game might not be as easy.
"What I do know is the competitor and the talent is still in there," Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian said about Florida. "We better be mindful and better be ready to get the best version of DJ Lagway."
Florida and Texas are scheduled to kick off from The Swamp at 2:30 p.m. CT on Saturday, Oct. 4, and the game will be broadcast on ESPN.