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Not long ago, Texas was near unbeatable at home. There were only six losses in Royal-Memorial Stadium from 1998-2009, and Kansas State and Texas A&M were the only Big 12 teams to beat Texas in Austin.
Now the Longhorns can't seem to beat anybody from the Big 12 in their backyard.
Texas has lost five in a row at home in the Big 12. The last win came on Nov. 21, 2009, against Kansas when Colt McCoy said goodbye to the home crowd with a 51-20 rout. It has been nothing but losing since.
The Longhorns (4-2, 1-2), who had a week off after losing at home to No. 3 Oklahoma State, will be looking to end that skid Saturday night when they play woeful Kansas (2-5, 0-4).
The losing skid is ''really unacceptable,'' senior safety Blake Gideon said Monday. Toss in a non-conference loss to UCLA last season, and Texas is 4-6 overall at home the last two seasons.
''We really didn't protect our home stadium at all (in 2010),'' Gideon said. ''It's one thing to go on the road and get beat, but to not be able to protect your own field and have somebody come in here and run the ball down your throat, that's a huge deal. It's important to get some home wins.''
The Big 12 home losing skid started against Iowa State. Then came losses to Baylor, Oklahoma State and Texas A&M. Texas began this season with non-conference home wins over Rice and BYU, but the losing started again when the Big 12 schedule rolled around.
Baylor hadn't beaten Texas in Austin since 1991. Oklahoma State hadn't won there since 1944, and then did it twice in a row.
Texas coach Mack Brown and his staff are acutely aware that if they hope to turn around the program, winning at home is a must.
''We tried to put a huge emphasis on it this summer,'' Brown said. ''We've got to make sure we do well at home to have the season that we want.''
To drive home the point, Texas players were put through workouts that including running the steps all the way to the top of the stadium for a view that few of the players, if any, had ever seen.
What they saw below them was a stadium and field they are supposed to protect against any outsiders.
''The message was, `Don't get beat in your home stadium,''' senior guard David Snow said. ''Get back to the Texas standard that was set by guys before us.''
Yet the losing hasn't stopped at the city limits. The Longhorns have been dreadful on the road in the Big 12, as well.
Texas is 1-7 in its last eight Big 12 games. To put that in perspective, Texas lost seven Big 12 games from 2004-09.
Kansas looks like a team that could help Texas turn things around. The Jayhawks have lost five in a row with several blowouts. Kansas ranks last in total defense and has given up at least 45 points in each of the five losses.
But Brown noted Monday that last season Iowa State had been outscored 120-27 in consecutive defeats before coming to Austin and beating Texas 28-21.
That loss still haunts Brown, and he is confident his players haven't forgotten it, either.
And because of it, the Longhorns won't take Kansas for granted, Brown said.
''Everybody around here thought (Iowa State) couldn't possibly beat us,'' Brown said. ''This team has a better feel of knowing we've got a long way to go.''
