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Kirk Herbstreit says Texas is more prepared for SEC than Oklahoma
By Sydney Hunte
Published:
Kirk Herbstreit will call his share of Texas and Oklahoma games when both teams move to the SEC in 2024. It will also be the 1st year of a landmark deal that will see ESPN become the exclusive home of the conference.
Herbstreit will be behind the mic with Chris Fowler on Saturday for a game between future conference foes as the Longhorns visit Alabama. On Wednesday, he held a Zoom call with reporters to talk about the game, the Longhorns, and anything else.
As Texas and Oklahoma look toward a transition from the Big 12 to the SEC, Herbstreit was asked which team he believes is better prepared.
For Herbstreit, it’s Texas.
“Now, Brent Venables is a couple years behind where Sark is, but it just feels like when you look at Texas, they’re closer to being where you need to be than I think where Venables is currently,” he said, per The Tulsa World’s Eric Bailey. “But I think he’ll be there as well because he understands it probably as well as anybody.
“He’ll get that program eventually there, but right now Texas, I think, is … I think they’re ready to compete. So we’ll see how it goes.
As for the Texas-Alabama game, the Longhorns will look to avenge last year’s 20-19 loss in Austin. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. ET and will be televised on ESPN.
Sydney is an Atlanta-based journalist who has covered everything from SEC and ACC football to MLS, the U.S. men's national soccer team and professional tennis. His work has appeared on such platforms as SB Nation, Cox Media Group and FanSided.
