University of Texas students and Longhorn fans won’t see a Texas football game until this fall as the annual spring Orange-White matchup has been canceled this year, Texas football head coach Steve Sarkisian said Thursday on the “Up and Adams Show.”
Showcasing Texas football, this game divides the team in two, creating an orange team and a white team. The scrimmage serves as an opportunity for fans to catch a glimpse of the upcoming football season, showcasing new talent and allowing for a preview of the team’s strategic direction under the coaching staff.
“Our approach is going to be a little bit more NFL driven, kind of more of an (organized team activities) style early on,” Sarkisian said. “I just don’t know (if) rolling the ball out, playing the game, when we only get 15 practices, is the best for us to maximize the opportunities that we get.”
Fourteen Longhorns have declared for the 2025 NFL draft, trying to secure their spot on Football Sunday. The team roster now consists of many young players requiring different development needs for this fall, Sarkisian said.
The Longhorns made back-to-back appearances in the College Football Playoffs the past two seasons. The team’s journey within the Big 12 came to an end in 2024 after falling short to the Washington Huskies in the Allstate Sugar Bowl.
Picking up where they left off, the Longhorns’ debut in the Southern Eastern Conference in September 2024 drew attention from all over as the team rose to the number one ranking in the nation through the beginning of the season.
Texas returned back to the semi-finals, where they put up a fight against the Ohio State Buckeyes in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl.
“We’ve played 30 games over the last two years and that’s a lot for college football,” Sarkisian said. “Fourteen two years ago, 16 this year.”
Many students, like Jacquelyn Tovar, shared excitement for the annual spring game; despite the cancellation, students hope the game will return in the future.
“I attended the orange and white game last year and I was really sad to hear that it was canceled this year,” Jacquelyn Tovar said.
Texas football isn’t the only one canceling their spring game — Ohio State, Nebraska, South Carolina and Florida State have also announced the cancellation of a spring season game, according to Sports Illustrated.
“I do hope this does not become the new norm,” UT student Diego Delgado said. “I personally love a good spring game, I love getting out there, and the weather is always great.”
It is currently unclear if there will be an Orange-White game in 2026.
“I think college football’s changing right now,” Sarkisian said. “We need to do a great job as coaches of adapting to college football and that’s what we’re trying to do. I think it’s going to be good for our team.”
