The University of Texas is primarily known as a football school. The Longhorns had a stellar 2024 season on the gridiron, winning the SEC at the first time of asking with an overall record of 13-3, 7-1 in the conference. With superstar supporters such as WWE’s The Undertaker and world-famous actor Matthew McConaughey watching on, the Lone Star State outfit planned on winning the national championship for the first time in two decades, but they were ultimately downed in the playoff semifinals by the Ohio State Buckeyes.
Now, attention has shifted from the field to the court, and Texas is looking to finish the ongoing college basketball season strong, and secure a spot in the chaotic March Madness tournament. Much like their gridiron counterparts, they are competing in the SEC for the first time. But unlike on the football field, things aren’t going as smoothly as they’d like.
Navigating New Terrain
In 2025, the Longhorns find themselves in a period of transition as they compete in the rugged Southeastern Conference for the first time. After decades in the Big 12, this change has brought new challenges—unfamiliar opponents, tougher matchups, and an adjustment to the SEC’s fast-paced level of play.
Led by head coach Rodney Terry, the Longhorns currently hold a 16-10 overall record but sit at 5-8 in intra-conference games, something which highlights their growing pains in the new conference. Early in the season, there were bright spots, such as their narrow 74-70 loss to No. 1 Tennessee, demonstrating they could compete with the very best. Yet, inconsistency and a lack of wins against their new conference rivals have left them on the outskirts of playoff contention.
Victories against the likes of 15th-ranked Missouri and the heavily favored seventh overall Texas A&M – two teams that are in their conference – have helped keep the fire alive, but they need a strong finish to conference play to solidify their bid. According to ESPN’s 2025 bracketology, Texas is currently one of the “Last Four In,” positioned as an 11-seed set to face San Diego State in a play-in game. Can they capitalize on this opportunity and secure an appearance in the postseason for the fifth straight season, or will they falter under the weight of the competition?
Even if they do make it to the 68-team showdown, they will have their work cut out once the March madness gets underway. The latest odds on the March Madness Bracket at Bovada currently don’t even have a price on the Longhorns going all the way, a quite shocking statistic considering the likes of Virginia Commonwealth and Villanova both have odds, albeit of +25000. The favorites for glory are the Auburn Tigers, who are currently the +290 frontrunners thanks to the blistering displays of Johni Broome. All things considered, it’s shaping up to be an impressive March Madness bracket this year!
But while Texas isn’t in contention in 2025, they have made their presence felt on the March Madness stage in years gone by. Here are their best performances since the turn of the millennium.
Final Four Magic
The 2002-03 season stands alone as the greatest campaign in Longhorns history. Under the stewardship of Rick Barnes, Texas embarked upon the deepest postseason run in over half a century, reaching the final four at long last. They finished with a remarkable 26-7 regular season record, including a 13-3 finish in the Big 12, leaving them second in the conference behind the Kansas Jayhawks.
That made Barnes’ boys a force to be reckoned with, and the AP agreed, duly making them the fifth-ranked team in the country and the top seed in the South Regional. Some blistering displays from future 8th overall draft pick T.J. Ford saw Texas pick up victories against the likes of Purdue and Michigan State before a memorable 85-76 win against Michigan State in the regional finals secured their spot in the Final Four for the first time since 1947.
Unfortunately, that was as good as it would get as Syracuse would get the 95-84 victory in the semifinals at the Superdome in New Orleans before ultimately winning it all by beating Kansas two days later.
The stunning sophomore Ford was without question the star of the show. His dazzling playmaking abilities and command of the court earned him the Naismith College Player of the Year award. But ultimately, freshman sensation Carmelo Anthony and his Syracuse Orangemen were too hot for even the future Milwaukee Bucks star to handle.
Battling to the Elite Eight
Three years later, Barnes would guide the Longhorns to another deep postseason run. The 2005-06 campaign saw Texas finish with an impressive 30-7 record and a share of the Big 12 regular-season title, with Kansas once again refusing to give up their claim to the conference crown.
One of the stars of the show was LaMarcus Aldridge. Towering at 6’11”, the future seven-time NBA all-star dominated in the paint, while Daniel Gibson provided a lethal scoring touch from the perimeter. Together, they helped Texas earn a No. 2 seed in the playoffs, and there were genuine hopes that the devastating duo could take the Horns all the way.
Their postseason run included a nail-biting overtime win against West Virginia in the Sweet 16, where Kenton Paulino hit a clutch game-winning three-pointer as time expired. However, their dream of a second Final Four appearance under Barnes ended in the Elite Eight after an emphatic loss to LSU and its powerhouse forward, Glen “Big Baby” Davis.
While the season ended shy of the ultimate prize, it reinforced their standing as perennial contenders. Texas will be aiming to reach these heights again in the not-so-distant future.
