AUSTIN, Texas – The University of Texas football team has secured the number one spot for the first time since 2008. 

“This is like my life, pride and joy,” said student John-Anthony Borsi. “I wake up football, I sleep football, my dreams are about football.” 

The team is getting ready for the annual rivalry game on Saturday. 

“Whoo, we’ve been waiting all semester for this, so it’s time,” said student Kendall Klimek. 

No. 1 Texas Longhorns feeling refreshed heading into rivalry game against OU

The undefeated Texas Longhorns will face the Oklahoma Sooners in their first-ever SEC meeting. 

“It’s like surreal,” said student Ainsley Stutes. “We didn’t know how fun it would be before the games started, but now that we’re here, it’s like crazy to think that we chose the school that has the best football team in the nation.”

Ahead of the game against OU in Dallas, students sent the team off with the traditional rally at the UT Tower, which followed the parade down Guadalupe Street.

“Since UT has been doing so good this year the atmosphere has been crazy. We have people passing out because they’re all over the place,” said Sydney Stewart. “We have water being thrown everywhere. I just love it.” 

The Texas Fight Rally dates back to 1916. The tradition continues 108 years later, with thousands of students cheering on the horns. 

“It’s just such an amazing school with the tradition,” said Ainsley Stutes. “I really don’t think I would find that anywhere else.” 

The Longhorn band and Texas cheer team performed, and fans also got to see the coaches and players. 

“I’m looking forward to the band most,” said student Michael McCrary. “I’m a musician myself, so it’s always fun to see musicians at a high level do their thing.” 

The Red River Rivalry kicks off at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 12, at the Cotton Bowl Stadium in Dallas. 

The caller card for a resident from Austin lined up to deliver a big payday from a scratch ticket game.

The winner, who chose to remain anonymous, claimed a top prize-winning ticket worth $1 million in the Texas Lottery scratch ticket game Million Dollar Loteria. The winning ticket was purchased at Pond Springs Xpress, located at 13125 Pond Springs Road, in Austin.

This was the third of 10 top prizes worth $1 million to be claimed in this game since it reset on April 15, 2024. A resident from Allen, Texas, claimed the second top prize-winning ticket in July.

In addition to the seven top-prize tickets still up for grabs, there are also 31 second-prize tickets worth $20,000 each that have yet to be claimed.

Million Dollar Loteria, which costs $20 per ticket, offers more than $384 million in total prizes. Gameplay consists of three playboards with symbols that players try to match from symbols on a caller card. There’s also a fourth bonus play area that gives players the chance to win $100 and $200.

The odds of winning the $1 million top prize are 1-in-2.52 million. Overall odds of winning any prize in the game are 1-in-3.29, including break-even prizes. Prizes range from $20 to the $1 million top prize.

Beginning with the first ticket sold in 1992, the Texas Lottery has generated more than $39 billion in revenue for the state and distributed more than $88 billion in prizes to lottery players. The Texas Lottery provides several games for players, including Powerball, Mega Millions, Lotto Texas, All or Nothing, Texas Two Step, Pick 3, Daily 4, Cash Five and scratch ticket games.

AUSTIN, Texas — A new survey shows an overwhelming number of obstetricians and gynecologists have been negatively impacted by the Texas ban on abortions.

The Texas Medical Board adopted new rules this year that protect doctors who perform abortions for ectopic pregnancies from criminal charges. It was part of an effort to clarify the state’s abortion laws, but many doctors say it wasn’t enough. 

Houston OB/GYN Dr. Todd Ivey is part of a new study from Manatt Health that found 71% of OB/GYNs say Texas’ abortion law had a negative impact on their practice. 

“Many physicians work in large institutions and may have access to, support in, in making decisions and maintaining compliance with the law. But for, you know, rural small providers, they may not have access to that,” said Alex Morin with Manatt Health. 

The group surveyed members of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, a professional membership organization for obstetrician–gynecologists, and of the nearly 500 who replied, 60% fear legal repercussions for practicing according to evidence-based medicine. 

“We feel that the survey is fairly representative of the state,” said Morin. 

But some doubt the study’s findings because of the exclusion of participants who are members of the American Association of Pro-Life OB/GYNS. 

“It seems to me this is another skewed study coming out at an election time that seeks to paint a dire picture,” said Amy O’Donnell with Texas Alliance for Life. 

Anti-abortion advocates add the survey paints an unfair picture of a health crisis. 

“Where we won’t have the number of OBGYNs necessary to meet the demands of our women, while at the same time saying that we don’t have any lack of residency spots being filled,” said O’Donnell. 

Spots for OB/GYN residency programs are being filled, but nationally there has been a decrease in applications to states with abortion bans, and in Texas, nearly half of the counties already don’t have OBGYN providers. 

“I’m really concerned that women are going to have trouble accessing basic gynecologic and obstetric care, meaning are they going to be able to get their pap smears when they need it? Are they going to be able to get their breast cancer screening?” said Ivey. 

Ivey’s patients are the reason he stays in Texas while his colleagues leave or retire. 

“The women of Texas deserve good quality, evidence-based care in obstetrics and gynecology,” he said. 

The study is avalible online through Manatt Health.