Texas

Texas should ban sugary drinks on food stamps

Published

8 months ago

April 14, 2025

Texas should ban sugary drinks on food stamps

According to the USDA, the one item most commonly purchased with food stamps is Coke — the incredibly sugary drink that other parts of America call soda, pop or soft drinks.

That’s a problem that our state Legislature is moving to solve.

Any day, the Senate will vote on a bill to allow Texas to prohibit the purchase of sugary beverages and unhealthful snacks like candy and potato chips using food stamps. Lawmakers are reacting to the reality that food stamps have become a major cause of our state’s and our country’s health crisis.

All told, about a quarter of food stamp spending — some $25 billion — goes toward this unhealthful food according to Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders. Nearly twice as much money is spent on sweetened beverages, candy and prepared desserts than is spent on fruits and vegetables, according to a report from the Foundation for Government Accountability (FGA). Coke and junk food are known to contribute to obesity, with all the health problems that follow. And children suffer most, since early obesity leads to a lifetime of medical issues.

But food stamp spending on unhealthful food isn’t just a medical and moral crisis. It’s also a monetary crisis for taxpayers. Every dollar in food stamp spending comes from people like you and me. That means we’re funding this health crisis. What’s more, we’re also paying for the resulting health care costs, since most food stamp recipients are also on the taxpayer-funded Medicaid program. Taxpayers are getting hit from two sides.

Medicaid and other taxpayer-funded health programs spent $60 billion a year on obesity-related treatments in 2015 and 2016, according to a study published in the Journal of Managed Care & Specialty Pharmacy, and that number has almost certainly grown in the past decade.

The numbers are so high, in part, because using food stamps encourages people to buy unhealthful food. FGA research shows that people on the program drink more sugary beverages than those who aren’t, even when they have similar incomes. It’s also the case that food stamp recipients have a higher obesity rate than people who aren’t, again accounting for income.

This is a vicious cycle in which taxpayers are helping to ruin people’s health and then paying for the resulting treatments. Hence state lawmakers are taking action. The bill they’re considering would help lower-income Texans make healthful choices, while protecting every Texas taxpayer from both fueling and treating a health crisis.

Practically, the bill would direct state officials to ask the federal government for permission to prohibit unhealthful foods. The food stamp program is ultimately federal, even though states operate it, so D.C.’s sign-off is necessary. It’s safe to assume the Trump administration would grant the request, given the president’s promise to “Make America Healthy Again” and his appointment of Cabinet officials like Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. at Health and Human Services, and Brooke Rollins at Agriculture.

Texans aren’t the only ones who are pushing for solutions. Other states are moving to make the same request, showing the groundswell of support for protecting taxpayers and improving public health.

If and when this reform goes into effect, Texans will benefit.

Jay Bhattacharya, the incoming director of the National Institutes of Health, estimates that 141,000 kids wouldn’t become obese and 240,000 adults wouldn’t get Type 2 diabetes with a nationwide prohibition of food stamp purchases of sugary drinks. Prohibiting other unhealthful foods like potato chips would help even more people avoid major health problems.

Lawmakers are right to tackle this crisis. It’s always good to protect taxpayers. But it’s even better to protect taxpayers while empowering vulnerable people to lead healthier lives. The sooner the state Legislature passes this food stamp reform, the stronger and healthier our state will be.

Victoria Eardley, a Dallas resident, is marketing director at the Foundation for Government Accountability.

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Texas

UConn vs. Texas Prediction, How to Watch, Odds, Channel

Published

4 hours ago

December 12, 2025

Press Room

UConn vs. Texas Prediction, How to Watch, Odds, Channel

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The No. 5 UConn Huskies (9-1) will attempt to continue a five-game winning streak when they host the Texas Longhorns (7-3) on Friday, December 12, 2025 at PeoplesBank Arena. The contest airs at 8 p.m. ET on FOX.

Keep reading to get all you need to know ahead of wagering on the UConn-Texas matchup.

UConn vs. Texas How to Watch & Odds

When: Friday, December 12, 2025 at 8 p.m. ET
Where: PeoplesBank Arena in Hartford, Connecticut
TV: FOX
Streaming: FOXSports.com, FOX Sports App and FOX One (Try free for 7 days)

UConn vs. Texas Prediction

The Huskies are holding opponents to just 60.4 points per game while averaging 91, giving them one of the strongest scoring margins in the country. Their defense has been particularly sharp, limiting opponents to 37.4% shooting from the field.

Solo Ball and Tarris Reed Jr. continue to set the tone. Ball is averaging 15 points per game, and Reed Jr. has provided steady interior production with 14.8 points and 5.4 rebounds. Their consistency has been central to the Huskies’ early-season dominance.

The Longhorns have shown they can score, averaging 85.8 points per game, but their defense has struggled, allowing opponents to shoot 48.5%. That could be an issue against a UConn offense that moves the ball well and attacks efficiently.

UConn’s home court-advantage and Texas’s 2-2 road struggles tilt the matchup toward the Huskies.

Pick ATS: Texas (+16.5)
Pick OU: Over (145.5)
Prediction: UConn 81, Texas 69

Prediction provided by FOX Sports’ Sports AI. Download the FOX Sports App for free access to Sports AI.

UConn vs. Texas Betting Insights

Betting Line Implied Predictions

Based on the spread and over/under, the implied score for the matchup is Huskies 81, Longhorns 64.
The Huskies have a 95.9% chance to win this meeting per the moneyline’s implied probability.
The Longhorns have an 8.3% implied probability to win.

Key Spread Facts

UConn has compiled a 3-7-0 record against the spread this season.
Texas has won six games against the spread this year, while failing to cover four times.
UConn has covered the spread once this season (1-4 ATS) when playing as at least 16.5-point favorites.

Key Total Facts

The Huskies and their opponent have broken the 145.5-point mark four times this year.
Longhorns games have gone over 145.5 points on eight occasions this season.
The total for this matchup is 145.5 points, 23.4 fewer than the combined scoring average of the two teams.

Key Moneyline Facts

UConn has won six of seven games when the moneyline favorite this season (85.7%).
Texas has split the two games it has played as underdogs this season.
UConn has played as a moneyline favorite of -2326 or shorter twice this season, and won both.
Texas has not entered a game this season with longer moneyline odds than +1103.

UConn vs. Texas: Recent Results

Huskies vs Longhorns Recent Games
Date	Favorite	Spread	Total	Favorite Moneyline	Underdog Moneyline	Result
12/8/2024	Longhorns	-1.5	141	-121	+101	76-65 UCONN

UConn vs. Texas: 2025-26 Stats Comparison

	UConn	Texas
Points Scored Per Game (Rank)	79.8 (137)	89.1 (21)
Points Allowed (Rank)	61.7 (10)	73.2 (189)
Rebounds (Rank)	9 (234)	11.7 (49)
3pt Made (Rank)	7.7 (203)	8 (175)
Assists (Rank)	17.9 (38)	14.6 (179)
Turnovers (Rank)	8.8 (10)	11.5 (167)

UConn 2025-26 Key Players

Huskies Leaders
Name	GP	PTS	REB	ASST	STL	BLK	3PM
Solomon Ball	10	15	3.3	1.6	0.8	0.3	2
Tarris Reed Jr.	5	14.8	7.6	1.4	1.2	1.6	0
Alex Karaban	10	13.4	5.4	2.2	0.9	1.2	2
Silas Demary Jr.	10	10	4.5	5.1	1.8	0.2	0.3
Eric Reibe	10	9.6	4.6	0.3	0.3	1.3	0.3

Texas 2025-26 Key Players

Longhorns Leaders
Name	GP	PTS	REB	ASST	STL	BLK	3PM
Matas Vokietaitis	10	15.9	6.6	0.2	0.4	1.1	0
Dailyn Swain	10	15.7	6.9	3.5	1.6	0.3	0.7
Jordan Pope	10	12.5	2.1	3	0.3	0.1	2.4
Tramon Mark	10	9.9	2.8	2.5	0.7	0.6	1
Simeon Wilcher	10	9.4	2.4	1.9	0.7	0.5	1.6

FOX Sports used technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar to create this story.

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Texas

Texas Football Opt-Outs: Who’s Likely Playing and Who’s Out for the Citrus Bowl

Published

17 hours ago

December 11, 2025

Press Room

Texas Football Opt-Outs: Who’s Likely Playing and Who’s Out for the Citrus Bowl

At this point in time, opting out of bowl games is nothing new, but Texas is going to have more opt-outs in the Citrus Bowl against Michigan than many—self included—expected. This problem pales in comparison to what’s going on in Ann Arbor, but the amount of lost experience will be something for Texas to overcome, primarily on defense.

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Latest in recruiting war for elite 2028 QB has Texas Football joyful

Published

1 day ago

December 11, 2025

Press Room

Latest in recruiting war for elite 2028 QB has Texas Football joyful

Neimann Lawrence list the Longhorns as one school that is standing out

As the Longhorns continue to build for the future, one of their targets is four-star prospect Neimann Lawrence. The Miami native is one of the best quarterbacks in the 2028 class and is attracting interest from some of the nation’s top programs. On Monday, Lawrence revealed the schools that have stood out so far, including the Longhorns.

While Mondays update was encouraging, Texas was not the only school Lawrence mentioned. He also highlighted Michigan, Miami, Ohio State, Texas A&M, and Tennessee. That is not an easy list of schools to go to battle with; the Longhorns have time to make themselves stand out.

Currently, the Miami Northwestern High star is ranked as the fourth-best quarterback in is class by 247Sports. They also rank him as the ninth-best player from Florida and the 39th-best player in the nation. With collegiate debut still over a year away, those rankings could change.

At the moment, the Longhorns do not have a commitment in the 2028 class, but they have made offers to some of the top recruits. That includes Brysen Wright, Jalanie George, Jamarios Canton, Micah Rhodes, and King Pitts. Landing any of those players would give Texas a bright future.

With a decision still months away, Lawrence will be a player to watch. A lot could change as his recruitment continues, but it is a good sign for Texas that they are standing out early on in the process.

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