Texas will look to pay back Alabama for last year’s home loss. However, the Crimson Tide first returned the favor with a petty slight.
Alabama didn’t send its school band to Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium last year because Texas only made upper-deck seats available. Per Nick Kelly of the Tuscaloosa News, Alabama did the same by only offering the 5,000 visitor seats in the bleachers.
“We are able to reciprocate a similar seating arrangement to what we had last year in Austin,” Alabama athletics director Greg Byrne told Kelly.
Fans endorsed the move, with some even encouraging Byrne to up the ante.
“I am so glad we are doing this,” a fan wrote. “The seats Texas gave Bama last year were absolutely garbage. Enjoy the upper deck at Bryant-Denny Stadium.”
I am so glad we are doing this. The seats Texas gave Bama last year were absolutely garbage.
Enjoy the upper deck at Bryant-Denny Stadium https://t.co/752jl1xfyw
— Tyler Vesely (@TylerVesely) September 4, 2023
“Nothing like a little bit of band pettiness a year before they’re in the same league and they have to give the band a good spot,” On3’s Andy Staples said.
Nothing like a little bit of band pettiness a year before they're in the same league and they have to give the band a good spot. https://t.co/FCzbgU1SBx
— Andy Staples (@Andy_Staples) September 4, 2023
“Get creative and give them a seating allotment in the shape of a giant horns down instead of by section,” Brian Floyd suggested.
get creative and give them a seating allotment in the shape of a giant horns down instead of by section https://t.co/EvxDzp6Wzg
— Brian Floyd (@BrianMFloyd) September 4, 2023
“Savage. Sure would hate for the guest locker room to have a failed AC unit too,” a fan hinted.
Savage. Sure would hate for the guest locker room to have a failed AC unit too. https://t.co/KnRXJNaLm4
— Kaitlin Goins Jarvis (@KaitlinGJarvis) September 4, 2023
“The beginnings of a beautiful rivalry,” a fan declared.
The beginnings of a beautiful rivalry. https://t.co/MN2esxwGVy
— Eric Mayo (@ejmayo15) September 4, 2023
SEC regulations require teams to provide at least 2,000 lower-level seats for visitors, so the two schools must call a truce when Texas joins the conference next year. Before then, Alabama evened the score.
The Longhorns must decide whether to also keep their band home for Week 2’s big matchup. However, most fans won’t care about the mind games if they produce a road victory at Bryant-Denny Stadium.
Alabama and Texas will kick off a highly anticipated battle this Saturday at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN.
