In preparation for Saturday’s home game against Florida, Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian and Athletic Director Chris Del Conte are calling on UT students to uphold good sportsmanship following an incident at the recent Georgia game that cast a shadow over the program.
During the Oct. 19 matchup with then-No. 5 Georgia, a Texas penalty that negated a Georgia turnover led some UT students to hurl water bottles and other debris onto the field. The game was halted for five minutes while stadium staff cleared the trash, ultimately resulting in a $250,000 fine and a directive from the SEC to identify and ban any fans involved. The SEC statement specified that the University and Athletic department must use “all resources” to enforce these bans.
In a video released Thursday, Sarkisian and Del Conte asked students to remain “in the game” by cheering enthusiastically but responsibly. “Be loud, be passionate, and be good sports so you can stay in the game,” Sarkisian urged.
Del Conte echoed the sentiment, saying, “You’re the very best students, you represent this great institution. Let the behavior of cheering loud and creating a great atmosphere dictate who we are.”
With Saturday marking Texas’s first home game since the incident, Sarkisian and Del Conte’s message is clear: Texas fans, especially Big Ticket holders, must demonstrate respect and sportsmanship that reflect well on the university. While the Athletics department’s finances can likely handle a $250,000 fine, its reputation and the potential for banned alcohol sales—an SEC-imposed consequence—are risks the program cannot afford.