It’s officially game week in Austin, Texas.
The Longhorns will be beginning a new era with first-year head coach Steve Sarkisian and redshirt freshman quarterback Hudson Card.
The expectations for the 2021 season are as high as they’ve ever been, considering Sarkisian is one of the top offensive-minded coaches in the game. On top of that, the target on the Longhorns’ back got a tad bigger with their decision to move to greener pastures in the SEC.
No. 21 Texas will have to face No. 23 Louisiana-Lafayette in their season opener on Sept. 4. It marks the first ranked matchup the Longhorns will have since 1984. Billy Napier’s squad is full of experienced players and they’re fresh off of a 10-1 season in 2020, including a win against Iowa State.
In regards to the series history between the two programs, this will be the third time that Texas and Louisiana have played each other. In 2000, Mack Brown and the Longhorns defeated the Ragin’ Cajuns 52-10. In 2005, Texas defeated Louisiana 60-3.
Each matchup has served as the season and home opener for the Longhorns. If Texas is able to escape with a win, their season opener record will improve to 106-20-3. It would also give Sarkisian his seventh-straight win in a home opener.