The Texas Longhorns shocked the college football world when they announced their intention to leave the Big-12 for the SEC nearly a year ago. Having been a Big-12 school since 1996, it was pretty stunning for longtime fans to learn that the school would have a new home, a move set to occur in 2025.

The subject of conference realignment came to the forefront once again after USC and UCLA announced they would be leaving the Pac-12. So naturally, it was a point of discussion at Big-12 Media Day, where Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian was asked about the move.

Here is Sarkisian's response, per 247 Sports.

“We’ve come to find out over the last few years, we have a great playoff,” Sarkisian said during an interview on ESPNU during media days. “And all of a sudden, we can start putting the best teams playing one another on a weekly basis? It’s an unbelievable brand. For me, the old school part of me, why I grew up loving college football, was the rivalries, was the bowl games, and so hopefully we can keep those things intact, as we are realigning. But I do think we are headed in the right direction.”

Sarkisian said that having the best teams in college football playing each other is “an unbelievable brand.” That's certainly what will happen with teams like the Longhorns and Oklahoma Sooners being added with SEC powerhouses like Alabama, LSU and Georgia.

However, the Longhorns coach said that he hopes old-school rivalries and bowl games are things that remain a part of the college football experience.

Steve Sarkisian is definitely in favor of realignment. However, he doesn't want to sacrifice the old for the new.