kepdawg
04-25-2006, 07:38 PM
Horns, Hogs to resume football rivalry
Former SWC rivals will meet in 2008 and '09
05:35 PM CDT on Tuesday, April 25, 2006
By CHIP BROWN / The Dallas Morning News
AUSTIN – Texas and Arkansas have orally agreed to resume their once-intense Southwest Conference rivalry beginning in 2008, according to a UT source.
Under the agreement, which has not been finalized with a contract, Texas and Arkansas would play in Austin in 2008 and in Fayetteville in 2009.
There is also internal discussion that the Texas-Arkansas rivalry could continue beyond 2009 on an annual basis in Dallas – most likely at the Cowboys’ new stadium in Arlington – if the Longhorns opt not to renew their current agreement to play Oklahoma at the Cotton Bowl, the source said.
Texas and OU have a contract to play at the Cotton Bowl through the 2008 season with an opt-out clause after the 2007 game. Texas officials, however, have told Dallas officials they will not opt out of the contract after the 2007 game and will play OU at the Cotton Bowl in 2008, the source said.
If the Texas-Oklahoma series goes home-and-home beginning in 2009, the first on-campus game between the two schools would be in Austin. Texas officials are very interested in continuing to have a presence in Dallas if the Texas-OU game leaves the Cotton Bowl and have talked to SMU and TCU about scheduling home-and-home series in the future.
With regard to the future of the Texas-Oklahoma game at the Cotton Bowl, Texas athletic director DeLoss Dodds said Monday he expects to notify Dallas officials of the school’s long-term plans within the next month.
“We’ve got to decide what we’re going to do, so they can decide,” Dodds said.
Dodds has repeatedly said he doesn’t want a proposed bond election that would raise taxpayer money to improve the Cotton Bowl to depend on the future plans of UT.
Arkansas coach Houston Nutt talked to the Little Rock Touchdown Club on Tuesday and couldn’t conceal the news about the upcoming home-and-home series with Texas.
“I’m not supposed to, but evidently it’s out,” Nutt said, drawing a laugh. “I was told by [athletic director Frank] Broyles and [executive associate athletic director] Bill Gray not to say nothing. And I’ve already been asked three times since I walked in this room, so y’all know more than I do.”
Texas and Arkansas met in 2003 in Austin and in 2004 in Fayetteville. The Razorbacks beat Texas in Austin (38-28), while the Longhorns won in Fayetteville (22-20).
The rivalry dates back decades, punctuated by one of the biggest college football games ever played. In 1969, top-ranked Texas beat No. 2 Arkansas, 15-14, in front of President Nixon en route to the national title.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
E-mail chipbrown@dallasnews.com
Former SWC rivals will meet in 2008 and '09
05:35 PM CDT on Tuesday, April 25, 2006
By CHIP BROWN / The Dallas Morning News
AUSTIN – Texas and Arkansas have orally agreed to resume their once-intense Southwest Conference rivalry beginning in 2008, according to a UT source.
Under the agreement, which has not been finalized with a contract, Texas and Arkansas would play in Austin in 2008 and in Fayetteville in 2009.
There is also internal discussion that the Texas-Arkansas rivalry could continue beyond 2009 on an annual basis in Dallas – most likely at the Cowboys’ new stadium in Arlington – if the Longhorns opt not to renew their current agreement to play Oklahoma at the Cotton Bowl, the source said.
Texas and OU have a contract to play at the Cotton Bowl through the 2008 season with an opt-out clause after the 2007 game. Texas officials, however, have told Dallas officials they will not opt out of the contract after the 2007 game and will play OU at the Cotton Bowl in 2008, the source said.
If the Texas-Oklahoma series goes home-and-home beginning in 2009, the first on-campus game between the two schools would be in Austin. Texas officials are very interested in continuing to have a presence in Dallas if the Texas-OU game leaves the Cotton Bowl and have talked to SMU and TCU about scheduling home-and-home series in the future.
With regard to the future of the Texas-Oklahoma game at the Cotton Bowl, Texas athletic director DeLoss Dodds said Monday he expects to notify Dallas officials of the school’s long-term plans within the next month.
“We’ve got to decide what we’re going to do, so they can decide,” Dodds said.
Dodds has repeatedly said he doesn’t want a proposed bond election that would raise taxpayer money to improve the Cotton Bowl to depend on the future plans of UT.
Arkansas coach Houston Nutt talked to the Little Rock Touchdown Club on Tuesday and couldn’t conceal the news about the upcoming home-and-home series with Texas.
“I’m not supposed to, but evidently it’s out,” Nutt said, drawing a laugh. “I was told by [athletic director Frank] Broyles and [executive associate athletic director] Bill Gray not to say nothing. And I’ve already been asked three times since I walked in this room, so y’all know more than I do.”
Texas and Arkansas met in 2003 in Austin and in 2004 in Fayetteville. The Razorbacks beat Texas in Austin (38-28), while the Longhorns won in Fayetteville (22-20).
The rivalry dates back decades, punctuated by one of the biggest college football games ever played. In 1969, top-ranked Texas beat No. 2 Arkansas, 15-14, in front of President Nixon en route to the national title.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
E-mail chipbrown@dallasnews.com