SEC ends "Real UT" debate between Tennessee and Texas

College football and athletics are open to unique conversations and debates across all sports. One of those issues included a debate between Tennessee and Texas about who the real UT was. This type of debate is common in college sports. Southern California and South Carolina claim USC initials, but only one has earned the right to claim USC. 

The debate for UT is a little different. A handful of schools use UT as their initials, but Tennessee and Texas are at the forefront of the debate for the initials. 

Texas has officially joined the SEC as a full-time member, and the battle for UT has officially ended. The SEC declared who is the real UT at SEC Media Days in Dallas, Texas. 

The debate between Tennessee and Texas over who claims the "UT" initials has been an unofficial debate and argument for decades. Tennessee is the older state, university, and football program, but Texas has also been claiming UT as the University of Texas. 

Tennessee is a founding member of the SEC and has earned the "UT" moniker over the years. It looks like the SEC will officially refer to the University of Tennessee as UT, while Texas will be referred to as "Tex" in shortened initials. 

Brent Zwerneman, who shared the screenshot from SEC Media Days on X, noted later that the initials go to the university with the most seniority. 

We won't see the real UT play against Texas as SEC foes until 2026 unless they meet in the SEC Championship Game. Tennessee will instead play newcomer Oklahoma in 2024 and 2025 in the SEC's new schedule format. 

Regardless, it will add to more hype surrounding the eventual matchup between the two programs. The Vols and Longhorns are familiar with each other in other sports, including men's basketball, who have faced off in multiple games in recent years.