The 2023 Longhorns broke a 41-year drought to stun Alabama
In short: In one of the most significant non-conference matchups in recent history, the Texas Longhorns secured their first win over Alabama since the 1982 Cotton Bowl. It wasn't just a victory; it was a seismic shift that snapped Alabama's era of dominance and reshaped the landscape of college football.
The 2023 season served as a bridge for the University of Texas, marking their final year in the Big 12 Conference before moving to the SEC on July 1, 2024. Under third-year head coach Steve Sarkisian, the Longhorns navigated a high-pressure transition that culminated in historic milestones. One of the most notable was the Week 2 matchup against Alabama, which Fox Sports and the NCAA designated as one of the season's most important non-conference games.
The victory over Alabama carried immense weight: it snapped the Crimson Tide's 57-game regular-season nonconference winning streak dating back to 2007 and ended their 21-game home winning streak. For Texas, it was their first win against a top-3 AP poll team since 2008. The game remained a defensive struggle until the fourth quarter, where quarterback Quinn Ewers led a comeback effort featuring key plays from wide receiver Adonai Mitchell and running back Jonathon Brooks to secure a 34–24 win.
The season was also defined by individual records and massive scale. Kicker Bert Auburn tied the program record with five field goals in a single game, while setting a new school record for consecutive field goals (19) and a single-game scoring record of 21 points. The team's offensive output reached new heights during the Big 12 Championship against Oklahoma State, where Ewers set a conference championship record with 452 passing yards.
Beyond the scores, the season was a spectacle of scale. Texas averaged an home attendance of over 101,625 at Darrell K Royal–Texas Memorial Stadium. The team's performance in these high-stakes environments solidified their status as a national powerhouse, moving from No. 11 to No. 4 in the AP poll following the Alabama win.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: 2023 Texas Longhorns football team
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