Despite the legitimate criticism of the College Football Playoff’s 12-team format, there is one aspect that seems to have universal support. It’s an on-campus postseason game. Due to the current nature of the sport, name brand teams litter the postseason field. These programs typically play their home games at some of the sport’s most historic venues. And starting the weekend of Dec. 20-21, these verifiable cathedrals of college football will host a groundbreaking contest as part of the 12-team playoffs.
(Join Inside Texas today and get 7 days for just $1!)
Four lucky stadiums? Ohio Stadium, home of the Ohio State Buckeyes. Notre Dame Stadium, home of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Beaver Stadium, home of the Penn State Nittany Lions.
And of course, there’s Darrell K. Royal Texas Memorial Stadium, home of the Texas Longhorns.
The home of the Longhorns, known to many as “DKR,” will host the Clemson Tigers on December 21st in what may be the highest-stakes game The 40 Acres has ever seen. The 1970 matchup with Arkansas may be talked about, considering it indirectly gave the Longhorns their third national championship. But Texas, Ohio State and Nebraska split that title. This year’s playoffs will determine the undisputed champion, but they will need a win in this first round to get there.
If Steve Sarkisian’s program wins, Texas will advance to FBS football’s Elite Eight for the first time in history. If they lose, the season is over. These stakes are not something that comes around often in October or November.
Excitement is further increased by the fact that this version of the playoffs and the game against Clemson will be held during the 100th anniversary of Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium serving as the home of Longhorns football. Plus, never before have so many people been crammed into the building at 2139 San Jacinto Blvd.
A record 105,215 fans filled DKR on Oct. 19 when the Longhorns lost to Georgia, one of many record-setting crowds during the Sarkisian era. There have only been two home games in the past two seasons where 100,000 people weren’t able to get through the gate. One was the 2023 season opener against Rice, and the other was the 2024 season opener against Colorado State. Both kicked off in the scorching central Texas afternoon heat.
It makes sense that the historic contest would be held at the home of the Lone Star State’s flagship college football team. Moreover, the old criticisms of the Longhorns’ home will ring deafeningly hollow when the Tigers come to town.
Under the leadership and vision of Director of Athletics Chris Del Conte, the home atmosphere has rapidly improved since the south end zone project was completed and the stadium surrounding Campbell Williams Field was fully enclosed. . And since arriving in Texas, Del Conte has understood the level of effort from fans who already live in Austin, drive from places like Houston or Dallas, or fly in from foreign countries. revealed. His program has gone to great lengths to reward fans who spent their hard-earned money at 40 Acres with additions like Bevo Blvd., Longhorn City Limits, and an improved stadium experience. Ta.
Of course, the football team is better than it was when coach Del Conte took over after the 2017 season. That’s why the Longhorns are at this point anyway, and why DKR will be one of several stadium fans packed in less than two weeks. This is also what makes Texas such a feared environment for visiting teams. Just ask former Alabama Edge Will Anderson. He says the environment in Texas was the best he’s ever seen in 2022 when the Crimson Tide traveled to Austin for an 11 a.m. game.
The Longhorns’ winning tradition is why the stadium grew from its original capacity of 27,000 to 40,500 in 1926, 60,136 in 1948, 75,504 in 1972, 80,082 in 1999 and 100,119 in 2009. is. Hundreds of the program’s 909 victories have occurred in Austin, and the legendary coaches and players who established that winning tradition have made the home of Texas football one of the sports world’s most revered buildings. I’m in the club.
The game between the Longhorns and Clemson is almost guaranteed to have a six-figure crowd. The same goes for the Penn State vs. SMU home game and the Ohio State vs. Tennessee battle. Notre Dame Stadium is the only home venue that cannot hold more than 100,000 people, but what the Irish lack in size is more than adequate in their history.
This is the part of the weekend where DKR doesn’t look out of place when it comes to historic venues.
With a scheduled 3 p.m. kick, more than 100,000 participants are poised to make 40 Acres an environment as threatening as Clemson’s Memorial Stadium, affectionately known as Death Valley.
(Subscribe to the Inside Texas YouTube channel!)
It’s all scheduled to take place on December 21st, the shortest day of the year. This is a contest at a venue with a long history, and the Longhorns are looking to add a story to one of college football’s cathedrals.
