When the Texas Longhorns and Oklahoma Sooners meet on the court on Saturday, it will mark the last time the programs will face each other as Big 12 rivals.
Both programs were expected to join the SEC in 2025, but a rights deal struck in 2023 will allow the schools to leave the Big 12 a year earlier than expected. The deal will see the schools pay a combined $100 million to the Big 12. Texas and Oklahoma will join the new conference in time for the 2024 football season under the terms of the deal, as reported by Sports Illustrated.
The long-standing rivalry between the Longhorns and the Sooners will pick up next season with the teams competing in the SEC and will reignite several old rivalries, including against Texas A&M and Arkansas.
The Longhorns and Sooners are currently at 8-9 in the Big 12, so a win will be vital for either as the teams prepare for tournament play. Saturday’s season finale will go a long way to determining where the two rivals will end up. It is even a possibility that the Horns and Sooners could meet in the postseason.
The Longhorns’ most recent match resulted in a loss to the Baylor Bears that hurt the team’s chances of a higher seed in the tournament. It also saw the team lose one of its star players. Dylan Disu went down with a knee injury in the second half against the Bears, who were able to overcome a 14-point Texas lead. Despite a 33-point performance by Max Abmas, the Bears earned the victory in the final match between the rivals.
A win by Texas on Saturday could push the Longhorns to the No.7 seed. A loss could drop the Longhorns to the ninth or 10th seed, which might set up a first-round match with the No.1 seed. Texas’ bracket spot will also be impacted by the outcome of the TCU vs. UCF game, according to reporting by the Austin American Statesman. A loss to Oklahoma on Saturday will likely set up a rematch in the Big 12 Tournament on Wednesday.
Texas and Oklahoma tip off at 1 p.m. CT in Texas on Saturday for the final time as Big 12 rivals.
