You're driving through a dead zone in West Texas, the sun is dipping low, and the Longhorns are down by four in the fourth quarter. It’s a classic scenario. Your phone’s 5G is flickering between one bar and "SOS," and the fancy infotainment system in your truck is basically a paperweight. This is exactly why the Longhorn football radio network still matters in an era where everyone thinks streaming has killed the traditional airwaves. It hasn't. Not even close.
There’s a specific kind of magic in hearing the crackle of a distant AM signal as a touchdown call breaks through the static. It’s visceral.
The Longhorn football radio network isn't just a list of frequencies; it’s a massive web of over 30 stations stretching from the Red River down to the Valley. While Austin’s 104.9 The Horn (KTXX-FM) was the long-time flagship, the landscape shifted recently. Now, KVET-FM 98.1 and 1300 AM The Zone handle the heavy lifting in the capital. But if you’re in Amarillo, Dallas, or Houston, you’re looking for a completely different spot on the dial.
Why the Longhorn Football Radio Network Beats the TV Broadcast
Honestly, most fans prefer the radio call. Why? Because TV announcers have to be "neutral." They're catering to a national audience that might not know the difference between Bevo and a barn dance. The radio crew? They live and breathe burnt orange.
Craig Way is the voice you’re looking for. He’s a legend for a reason. His ability to paint a picture of the field—knowing exactly which hash mark the ball is on and the precise body language of the quarterback—is a lost art. When you listen to the Longhorn football radio network, you aren't just getting the play-by-play. You’re getting the emotional context of Texas football.
TV cameras often miss the late hit or the defensive shift. Way doesn't. He's been the "Voice of the Longhorns" since 2001, succeeding the iconic Bill Schoening. The chemistry between the booth and the sideline reporters creates a 360-degree view of the game that a 60-inch 4K screen sometimes fails to capture.
People forget that radio is immediate. There’s almost zero lag compared to digital streams that can be thirty seconds behind the live action. If your neighbor screams because of a pick-six and your "live" stream is still showing the huddle, you’ve been robbed. Radio solves that.
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Finding Your Frequency: The Affiliate Map
It’s a bit of a moving target. Stations change formats, ownership flips, and suddenly your "reliable" 1410 AM in Lubbock is playing soft jazz instead of the Third Down Anthem.
Currently, the network is anchored by Learfield. They manage the rights and make sure the "Hook 'Em" signal reaches as far as possible. In Houston, you’re usually looking for KPRC 950 AM. In Dallas, it’s often KRLD. But the "fringe" areas are where it gets tricky.
The Big City Anchors
If you’re in the major Texas metros, it’s pretty straightforward.
- Austin: KVET 98.1 FM or 1300 AM.
- San Antonio: WOAI 1200 AM (that signal is a beast, you can hear it three states away at night).
- Dallas: KRLD 1080 AM.
- Houston: KPRC 950 AM.
But what about the outskirts? If you’re out in El Paso or down in McAllen, you’re leaning on smaller affiliates. The beauty of the Longhorn football radio network is its redundancy. Because AM signals travel further at night—thanks to a neat bit of physics called skywave propagation—you can often catch the San Antonio or Dallas feed even if your local station isn't carrying the game.
It’s basically a safety net for your Saturday.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Broadcast
A lot of folks think the radio broadcast starts at kickoff. Big mistake.
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The pre-game show starts two hours before the ball is even on the tee. You get the "Longhorn Gameday" set, injury updates that haven't hit Twitter yet, and genuine tactical breakdowns. Then there’s the post-game. That’s where the real "unfiltered" talk happens. If the Longhorns lose a heartbreaker to Oklahoma, the post-game show on the Longhorn football radio network acts as a collective therapy session for the entire state.
Digital Alternatives: When the Antenna Fails
Let’s be real. Sometimes you're not in Texas. Maybe you’re in a basement in Chicago or on a plane over the Atlantic.
You can still access the Longhorn football radio network digitally, but there are caveats. The primary way is through the Texas Longhorns app or the Varsity Network app. Both are free.
- SiriusXM: Usually, Texas games are on the dedicated Big 12 channels or the 190-200 range.
- TuneIn: This used to be the gold standard, but licensing deals have made it hit-or-miss lately.
- Official Website: TexasSports.com usually has a "Listen Live" button that works surprisingly well on mobile browsers.
The "audio delay" is the enemy here. If you’re trying to sync the radio audio with the TV broadcast (because, let’s face it, national TV commentators can be annoying), you’ll need a specialized radio with a "delay" feature or a software solution like "Audio Hijack" on a PC to pause the stream for a few seconds. It’s a pro move.
The Evolution of the Voice
We can't talk about the network without mentioning the transition in 2025 and 2026. With Texas moving into the SEC, the stakes for the broadcast have skyrocketed. The Longhorn football radio network had to upgrade its tech to handle the louder, more chaotic environments of stadiums like Bryant-Denny or Tiger Stadium.
The SEC is a different beast. The noise floor in those stadiums is ten decibels higher than most Big 12 venues. This meant the network had to invest in better noise-canceling headsets for the talent so Craig Way isn't drowned out by 100,000 screaming Southerners.
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It’s a technical marvel that we take for granted. Two guys in a cramped booth, a producer in a trailer outside, and a satellite link-up that sends a voice across 260,000 square miles of Texas.
Actionable Steps for the True Fan
Don’t wait until five minutes before kickoff to figure out where the game is.
- Download the Varsity Network App: It’s the most stable way to get the official Longhorn football radio network feed without dealing with a sketchy website.
- Save the San Antonio Frequency: If you’re traveling, program 1200 AM into your car’s presets. It has a 50,000-watt clear-channel signal. It is the "Old Faithful" of Texas sports.
- Check the Affiliate List Weekly: Stations drop off and join the network mid-season. The official Texas Sports website maintains a PDF map. Screenshot it. You'll thank me when you're in a dead zone.
- Invest in a Pocket Radio: If you’re actually going to the game at DKR, the stadium WiFi is notorious for lagging. A cheap analog radio with earbuds lets you hear the commentary in real-time while you watch the play develop.
The Longhorn football radio network isn't just a relic of the past. It’s the backbone of how Texas fans stay connected to the Forty Acres. Whether you're listening on a dusty dashboard in Lubbock or through high-end noise-canceling headphones in London, that "Touchdown Texas!" call sounds exactly the same.
It sounds like home.
If you're planning on catching the next game, your first move should be checking the local affiliate for your specific county. Signals in the Hill Country bounce differently than they do on the Gulf Coast, so having a backup AM station like 1300 AM or 1200 AM is the only way to ensure you don't miss a single snap of the SEC era.