Forty Acres Insider: November 28

Chris Del Conte head shot

Longhorn Nation,

OH WHAT A NIGHT! Thankful is an absolute understatement for what these eyes witnessed on the Forty Friday, because it was buzzin' big-time!! From the lively and joyous post-Turkey Day family gathering that was Bevo Blvd and Smokey's Midway, to a packed street that rallied and energized our squad on their walk to the stadium, you could feel the rumblin' and the stampede that was a comin'! And my goodness, when y'all filled the stands at DKR, those amazing seniors were each greeted by raucous welcomes. Then when the cannon fired for kickoff it was an all gas, no brakes, full-on charge of Texas Fight. From The Eyes to The Eyes, we were one, and it was a truly glorious sight to see!

a great cap to the regular season 🤘#HookEm pic.twitter.com/xOsQ4Ua7yK
— Texas Longhorns (@TexasLonghorns) November 26, 2023

I often say a united Texas is a reckoning, and WOW, we were UNITED this weekend … each and every one of us! DKR was electric as Coach Sark and our seventh-ranked Horns took down Texas Tech for a spot in the Big 12 Championship Game. Saturday afternoon, y'all were right back at it, as it was another special day for a fabulous group of seniors at The Greg. Longhorn Nation brought the heat there, too, as Coach Elliott and our fifth-ranked Volleyball squad swept Tech to put an exclamation on another Big 12 Championship. The ladies raised the trophy, we serenaded those special seniors, and bid farewell to our time in the Big 12 by winning a 76th-straight conference home match — read that again, it's not a typo, SEVENTY-SIX in-a-row to close out the Big 12! The ladies will get one more Big 12 victory lap as we'll have their traditional Tower Lighting ceremony tonight, so come on out and join us!

And for your just dessert, Coach Terry and No. 16 Men's Basketball put the icing on the weekend and kept The Mood going with an 86-63 victory over Wyoming on Sunday. Meanwhile in a tropical paradise, Coach Schaefer and Women's Basketball got some fun & sun to go along with their utter domination on the court. Three victories by a combined 136 points secured the Reef Tournament Championship title, point guard extraordinaire Rori Harmon was the tourney MVP, and our Horns are off and runnin' at 7-0 and up to No. 10 in The AP poll this week.

But we know, you know and have heard it aplenty, THE MISSION IS NOT DONE. It's TEXAS FIGHT TIME!! Football heads to Arlington in quest of the Big 12 Championship that we all covet. It's an early kick (11 a.m. CT/ABC), so fire up the coffee & donuts and let's paint Jerry World the right color orange. I know y'all will bring that patented pride and passion we had here on Friday — and all season long — up I-35 to help our guys say farewell to Big 12 Football in quest of that trophy in hand and our Horns held high!

The journey continues 🤘 pic.twitter.com/pkGiZlevLz
— Texas Football (@TexasFootball) November 25, 2023

Volleyball begins its National Championship defense right here at Gregory Gym, and we get to start things off with our longtime rivals to the East, Texas A&M. First serve versus the Aggies is 6 p.m. CT (LHN) on Thursday, and we definitely need The Greg to be at its best, absolutely rockin', to help our squad survive and advance. With a victory, we would be right back at it on Friday night at 7 p.m. CT (LHN), so let's all plan to be there and help our ladies make their way through the bracket once again.

There's plenty more going on this week too. You'll be able to hear a rowdy Moody Center all across the city as the annual 40 Acres Field Trip is set for Women's Basketball on Wednesday vs. Oral Roberts (11 a.m. CT/LHN). That will set us up for an epic matchup with UConn on Sunday (2 p.m. CT/ABC) that is must-see in person or on TV, so calling all Longhorns to get in the house here or gather as one wherever you are to help us tame the Huskies! And wait, there's more! After Volleyball on Thursday, you can stroll on down 21st Street to catch Men's Basketball versus Texas State (8 p.m. CT/LHN).

start planning, y'all🤘#HookEm | @seatgeek pic.twitter.com/P462ekJvic
— Texas Longhorns (@TexasLonghorns) November 27, 2023

Here's hoping y'all had a wonderful Thanksgiving. We're forever grateful for you and your support and here we go with another awesome week to be a Longhorn! Raise 'em up, you're a Longhorn and it feels so darn good!

What They're Saying:

"I've got to acknowledge the atmosphere in DKR Friday night. Having the day off Saturday, I got a chance to watch the TV copy of our game. And sometimes when you're in the moment, coaching, you don't get a full appreciation and perspective on the atmosphere that it was, and it was awesome. We can't thank our fans enough for their support all season long at DKR as well as on the road. That was a great night and a very cool send off for our seniors. Bevo Blvd was at a fevered pitch, y'all were in the stands early and the stadium was rockin'. I thought that made for a great moment for our seniors as they were acknowledged pregame. To have that moment in front of a huge crowd is something that will be with them for a lifetime. So again, I can't thank all of our supporters enough. We're looking forward to seeing everybody in Arlington and tons of burnt orange in the stands." — Coach Sark

🏆 Big 12 Championship 🏆

🏈 Texas vs. Oklahoma State
📅 Saturday, Dec. 2 | 11:00 AM CT
📍 Arlington, TX | AT&T Stadium
📺 ABC pic.twitter.com/GXBkGAm93i
— Texas Football (@TexasFootball) November 27, 2023

Football ends regular season with exclamation mark against Texas Tech

Folks, I have to say, this is one where I just don't even know where to begin. What can you even say, but that might have been as close to a perfect night at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium as you can get. From the moment the team stepped off the bus onto an absolutely packed Bevo Blvd to the joyful tears of Senior Day to the non-stop thrills of a 57-7 victory over Texas Tech that catapulted our Horns to the conference championship game, it simply does. not. get. any. better. And the atmosphere around that game is all owed to you – our Longhorn faithful. You were there early, you were loud, you stayed late, and you brought every ounce of Burnt Orange in your wardrobes and your hearts. Coach Sark and our team will be the first ones to tell you that you made a difference, and we can't thank you enough. Before we get to the game, how about that senior class?! It's always my honor to be down with Coach Sark and thank those incredible student-athletes myself, and I tell ya, it gets the waterworks flowing every time. It also gives me a front row view of just how much Coach Sark means to them and how much they mean to him when you see the hugs and smiles that just radiate with sincerity and authenticity. It's all you need to know about the true culture of the team, and it's a sight to behold. I know I thanked you down on the field, seniors, but I'm saying it again for all of Longhorn Nation…THANK YOU for all you've done for this program and this university. You've made us so proud, and I know you'll keep doing that for years to come with everything you do! Now on to that game!

So many plays and contributions were made by so many people, it would be impossible to list them all without a newsletter the length of War and Peace. You couldn't blink without missing someone different doing something special – touchdowns on offense, defense, and special teams, interceptions, a blocked punt, nine different players catching a pass, four running backs with at least 45 yards each, a swarming defense with so many people making tackles the stats spilled onto a second page in the box score. This game really had it all. I mean have you ever seen an entire sideline get so excited as when Jett Bush (I'm not even using a nickname for him his name's so awesome) as a big ole linebacker/edge rusher had the wherewithal to catch a ball that bounced off a Red Raider's foot and house it for a pick six?! That's got to be one of our plays of the year! But he wasn't the only one. Malik Muhammad and Terrance Brooks snagged interceptions for themselves, and my oh my, were Built Ford Tough and T-Sweat so close, too. Even though those two couldn't quite come down with theirs, they did what they do with Jaylan leading the team with eight tackles and T-Sweat owning the middle with big Byron Murphy. All of that resulted in Texas Tech earning just 198 total yards and scoring just seven points, and those even came on a drive with a short field of 44 yards. As dominant as the defense was, the offense might have been equally versatile under the command of Quinn. So many players were touching the ball, and it was K-Rob (Keilan Robinson) that got the scoring started in both halves with a 10-yard TD run in the first quarter and a 95-yard kickoff return jaunt in the third. In between, never blue Jaydon Blue was shot out of a cannon for a 69-yard TD scamper on his way to yet another 100-yard rusher for the offense, our X man was all over the field, and Bert Auburn was just breaking every record that dared cross his path. Get this for Bert – a school-record 21 points in a game for a kicker, a school-record 19th-straight made field goal, a school-record 28th made field goal on the season, and a 5-for-5 night that included a career-long 54-yarder. Just wow. In the end, an 11th win with an undefeated home season, an emotional Senior Night, and a trip to Arlington for the Big 12 Championship were all being celebrated. So we're calling on you again, Longhorns! Make sure not a glimpse of a blue seat is to be had in that stadium on Saturday morning, and that it's covered in glorious Burnt Orange when we go for the trophy against Oklahoma State (11 a.m. CT/ABC). We'll see you there!

Closed out the regular season with a 57-7 win 🤘

Check out the Monday morning highlights ☕🎥 pic.twitter.com/J5IUAnnWiQ
— Texas Football (@TexasFootball) November 27, 2023

Join Coach Sark on Wednesday at Pluckers in west campus for final radio show

Can't get enough Football talk during the week to get you ready for Saturday in Arlington? We've got ya covered. Come join us on Wednesday from 6-7 p.m. at Pluckers Wing Bar in west campus (2222 Rio Grande St.) for the final edition this year of "Longhorn Weekly with Coach Sark," our weekly coach's radio show hosted by "Voice of the Longhorns" Craig Way. It's a great opportunity to show your support for Coach Sark while enjoying outstanding food and drinks from our partners at Pluckers.

Big 12 Football Championship ticket information

We need to send a huge shoutout to ALL of Longhorn Nation for your support at home and on the road all season long! All season-ticket holders who will receive tickets through our allotment have been notified and will receive their tickets via email by Thursday at 11:59 p.m. Central. If you do NOT have tickets but still want to attend Saturday's game in Arlington, tickets are available directly through the Big 12 Conference's ticket seller SeatGeek at this LINK. Round up all your Burnt Orange and White compadres and join us at Jerry World for this incredible opportunity and let's Hook 'Em!

Men's Basketball is rockin' in The Mood

Our No. 16 Men's Basketball team improved to 5-1 on the season with a dominant 86-63 victory over a solid Wyoming squad on Sunday afternoon in The Mood. Five players reached double figures in scoring, led by a season-high 23 points from Mid-Court Max including this impressive shot right before the half that gave us a 15-point cushion at the break. Kadin Shedrick was back in the lineup and made his presence felt with 17 points, while D-Mitch added a near double-double with 12 points and nine boards. RT and the guys will be back in The Mood against Texas State on Thursday (8 p.m. CT/LHN), so let's pack the house after Volleyball's NCAA First Round match and make it a Thursday Texas Two-Step on the Forty Acres!

Horns Win! 🤘#HookEm pic.twitter.com/1cBlQZCKHq
— Texas Men's Basketball (@TexasMBB) November 26, 2023

Women's Basketball has big week at home after capturing Paradise Jam title!

Our Women's Basketball team is 7-0 and ranked No. 10 in the latest Associated Press poll after winning the Paradise Jam Tournament championship in the Virgin Islands over the Thanksgiving weekend. Point guard extraordinaire Rori Harmon had 15 assists without a turnover during the three games and earned tournament MVP honors, and how about this stat – Rori has 47 assists against just SIX turnovers on the year. Wow! Our ladies have a huge week ahead with a pair of home games in The Mood. We'll host Oral Roberts in our annual 40 Acres Field Trip game on Wednesday (11 a.m. CT/LHN), and we're expecting to have about 4,000 students from the Austin Independent School District in attendance. And don't miss the chance to fill Moody Center on Sunday (2 p.m. CT/ABC) when we host UConn in the Jimmy V Classic. Let's pack The Mood this week to support Coach Schaefer and this outstanding team!

woke up champs 🏝️🤘#HookEm pic.twitter.com/rQLtRIiGJv
— Texas Women's Basketball (@TexasWBB) November 26, 2023

Volleyball begins NCAA Tournament run at The Greg this week!

Our Volleyball team capped the regular season with an emphatic sweep of Texas Tech on Saturday, ensuring that the Longhorns won their final 76 home Big 12 matches at Gregory Gymnasium. Coach Elliott and our ladies will now turn their attention to the NCAA postseason, where we'll host the NCAA First and Second Rounds at The Greg starting on Thursday. The Longhorns will play Texas A&M on Thursday (6 p.m. CT/LHN) after the conclusion of the Texas State-SMU tilt (4 p.m. CT/LHN). The winners of Thursday's matches will play on Friday at 7 p.m. CT (LHN). Get your All-session tickets HERE for the NCAA First and Second Rounds. If tickets remain, single-session tickets will go on sale on Wednesday at 10 a.m. CT. With two wins this weekend, Texas will advance to the NCAA Regional for an 18th consecutive season and likely head to Stanford.

The stage is set! 🤘#HookEm pic.twitter.com/Ezm0y5Lc6F
— Texas Volleyball (@TexasVolleyball) November 26, 2023

Logan Eggleston named NCAA Woman of the Year finalist!

Former Longhorn great Logan Eggleston added to her already incredible list of honors and awards as she was named a finalist for the NCAA Woman of the Year award. The NCAA Woman of the Year was first awarded in 1991, and Logan is the FIRST Texas Longhorn to be named a finalist. This year's nine finalists consist of three student-athletes from each NCAA division. Each finalist was selected for her outstanding achievements in academics, athletics, community service and leadership. Of the 619 student-athletes nominated for this prestigious award, 164 student-athletes were selected as conference-level nominees. That pool of student-athletes was narrowed to the national Top 30 honorees. The top 30 honorees will be celebrated during a ceremony at the NCAA Convention on Jan. 11 in Phoenix, during which the 2023 NCAA Woman of the Year will be announced. A huge Hook' Em to Logan!

FINALIST 🤩@loganeggleston_ is one of 9️⃣ finalists for the @NCAA Woman of the Year!#HookEm pic.twitter.com/p0h2pIbvul
— Texas Volleyball (@TexasVolleyball) November 27, 2023

Support the GivingTuesday Initiative … TODAY!

Here on the Forty Acres, we're celebrating GivingTuesday TODAY – a global day of generosity and giving back! The big wins by our student-athletes this past week and all season long - those are made possible because of Longhorn Nation's incredible philanthropic partnership that supports our championship-level resources in Texas Athletics. This GivingTuesday, I hope you will strongly consider giving to our Longhorn Excellence Fund (100% tax-deductible gift) so that we can continue to provide our Longhorns with the competitive edge to succeed, both on and off the field of competition.

The Lights of Texas are Upon You!

The University of Texas is proud to present a new tradition, Longhorn Lights, a holiday light show celebrating the season for Longhorn Nation and the Austin community. Longhorn Lights stars 24 Heritage Oak trees that will be illuminated with synchronized Burnt Orange and White lights dancing to music by the Longhorn Band. Longhorn Lights runs along Guadalupe Street between 21st and 24th Streets. We encourage all Texas fans in the Austin area to attend the opening night of Longhorn Lights on Wednesday (Nov. 29) at 5 p.m. President Hartzell will turn on the lights, and we're told there will be plenty of hot chocolate and Tiff's Treats!

Join us as we light the town burnt orange 🤘
We are excited to announce the inaugural Longhorn Lights, a free community holiday light show along Guadalupe Street between 21st and 24th streets.

Learn more at https://t.co/T7ymvrHv2x pic.twitter.com/GJvLtolaiX
— UT Austin (@UTAustin) November 21, 2023

Hook 'Em Horns,

Chris Del Conte

P.S. – How it started … how it's going!