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What Steve Sarkisian wants to see when Texas plays Rice

AUSTIN — “Why does Rice play Texas?”

The famous line from President John F. Kennedy 61 years ago had a simple answer at the time — the Rice Owls and Texas Longhorns were both members of the Southwest Conference.

Now the answer is that the non-conference matchup pays the Owls well while the Longhorns get a tuneup in the season opener, in this case preparation for next week’s high-profile matchup in Tuscaloosa against the Crimson Tide.

As Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian receives his first opportunity to gauge his 2023 team in a game environment, the goal isn’t just to beat an overmatched opponent against whom the Longhorns are favored by a full five touchdowns, it’s to execute at a high level and turn in a clean performance.