"Best hasn't won a natty in twenty years": Fans troll Arch Manning & Co. as Texas AD drops bold statement

It seems Texas isn't afraid of strong nonconference competition. The Longhorns' athletic director, Chris Del Conte, has now gone on record to say that the program won't stray away from scheduling some of the nation's best outside of its Southeastern Conference slate during the regular season.

Del Conte talked about that topic recently, stressing that high-level opponents are a boon for Texas.

"Our brand — and I firmly believe this — our brand should play the greatest brands in college football because we're the best," Del Conte said Wednesday during a town hall. "We're going to play Ohio State. We're going to play Michigan. We just signed a home-and-home with Notre Dame. Those games matter. ... I'm not issuing a cupcake schedule."

Fans on X responded to Del Conte's comments.

"The best hasn't won a natty in twenty years," someone replied.

"Love the enthusiasm. However, his mind may change after their loss to the Buckeyes week1!" another fan said.

"EXACTLY," a commenter agreed. "Let the weak run from the strong. Pressure builds diamonds, and great players will see Longhorn Football Players in Marquee games in September, October, November, December and JANUARY year after year"

"This is the way," someone else concurred. "So many programs petrified of playing the best competition!"

"Very un-SEC of them," another fan said about Texas. "Love it."

Who disagrees with the view Texas has on nonconference scheduling?

Unlike Chris Del Conte and Texas, Nebraska coach Matt Rhule doesn't believe that powerful out-of-conference matchups help his team in the grand scheme of things. Rhule explained his view on the matter on "The Triple Option" podcast with Urban Meyer and Rob Stone on Wednesday.

"Why would you ever? Why would you ever play one of those games?" Rhule said. "And (if) we're being completely honest, like, Coach Meyer, I'm at a lucky point in my life where, at my fourth job and after getting fired in the NFL, I kind of say what I feel nowadays. I could care less.

"Why in the world would a Big Ten team who's already playing nine conference games, why would you ever play one of those games? ... There were some SEC teams that, last year, only played three away games in another team's stadium. Three. We're in a league where, some years you have five home Big Ten games (and) some years, you have five road."

Rhule is speaking from a different vantage point than Texas, which has reached back-to-back College Football Playoff semifinals. The Cornhuskers defeated Colorado in nonconference play early last season but missed out on the CFP.

The Nebraska coach believes how his team looks late in the season is more important than résumé-building wins near the outset.