“We have this continuous group that has a national platform,” he said.
“We don’t need to be in four time zones to generate interest on the West Coast. We’re really across the globe.”
However, the addition of the two schools figured to change Texas’ friendly travel itinerary.
Since 2017, the Longhorns have played more than three games out of state in a season only once, in 2018 when they played four games.
In 2023, Texas left the state just twice in its first 13 games before the College Football Playoff.
The Longhorns played at Alabama and Iowa State, with non-home games vs. in-state foes Baylor, Houston, TCU and also Oklahoma in the Red River Rivalry played in Dallas.
But somehow Texas got a favorable traveling schedule again in 2024 in its new conference.
Texas travels to Michigan Sept. 7 and then doesn’t leave the state until it’s almost November, with a game at Vanderbilt Oct. 28.
And the Longhorns have one out-of-state game the rest of the season, at former Southwest Conference rival Arkansas Nov. 16.
While SMU may not have its sights set on a national championship, it didn’t catch quite the same break in the ACC.
The team’s schedule is a now-you-see-me, now-you-don’t hodge-podge of home and away games.
After a season-opening game Aug. 24 at Nevada, the Mustangs don’t leave Dallas until October.
However, they then don’t have a home game the whole month, playing in Dallas again Nov. 2 vs. Pittsburgh.
All of SMU’s away games are out of state and the team will play road games against both teams on the extreme edges of the ACC – Boston College and Stanford.
