I'm in general agreement when we're talking about THE ENTIRE HISTORICAL CONTEXT of college football.
But considered in the context of just the last, oh, 25 years....
LSU has been more successful than Texas has.
Florida has.
Since 1996
Auburn 207 - 110 (.652)
Texas 218 - 95 (.696)
I mean, AUBURN? Texas is 11 games better in the win column and 15 in the loss (so about 13 games better, which in 25 years comes out to 1/2 game per year better).
Then remember that Auburn has played in a conference that produced FOURTEEN national champions in that time.Once could easily argue that the only difference in the records of Texas and Auburn since 1996 is the fact Auburn has 15 more losses - TWELVE to the team that won the national title.
And several of those games were close:
1998 - lost by 8 to Tennessee
2007 - lost by 6 to LSU...on the last play
2009 - lost by 5 to Alabama...in the final minute
2013 - lost by 3 to FSU in the final 12 seconds
2016 - lost by 6 to Clemson
2019 - lost by 3 to LSU
Texas, by contrast, played in a league that since 1996 that produced THREE national champions, including the Horns themselves in 2005. Texas has played the eventual champion three times - 2000 Oklahoma, 2009 Alabama, and 2019 LSU.
Both Texas and Auburn have one Heisman winner since 1996, both surrounded by controversy.
Both have one national championship.
Both got robbed of a title shot once at least in theory (2004 Auburn, 2008 Texas)
Both lost a national championship game.
Both have three conference championships
Texas won their division six times, Auburn five (against much tougher competition)
You have pretty much parallel accomplishments in the last quarter century, maybe more (I just picked an arbitrary date).
Then remember that the state of Texas has about six times as many people in it, and UT is the richest university blah blah blah.
Texas is considered an all-time program because of stuff they did a long time ago. But for the last 25 years, they've basically been Auburn, who nobody will ever confuse with an all-time great program. I'm not saying they're not important and not rich. And maybe if I was Texas A/M, well, Texas looks truly awesome.
But joining the SEC with OU, Texas won't rank any higher than the SIXTH best program in the last 25 years, either. And I think that's the point. They have a big name from money and stuff long ago.
Here's a challenge for you:
other than Vince Young years and the 1969 game vs Arkansas, how many big games can you name that Texas actually WON? LSU has a list of highlights. So does Alabama. So does Oklahoma. And as much as it hurts me to say, so does Nebraska.
But what are the Texas highlights sans Vince Young and 1969?