Week Zero 2022: Introducing the Nike Pegasus 39 “Texas”

In what has become a somewhat common sight in recent years, images of what appear to be this year’s University of Texas “Week Zero” sneaker release have leaked online. Keeping with the tradition of recent UT sneaker drops, it looks as though the model selected will be the Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 39. This will mark the fourth time in as many years that an entry in Nike’s long-running Pegasus line will be sold to UT fans via normal retail channels.

Colorway Breakdown: Burnt Orange Returns to the Week Zero Series

Perhaps most notably, these UT Pegasus 39s feature a classic burnt orange upper. This marks the first time since 2019s Pegasus 36 “Texas” that a general release Longhorn sneaker has predominantly sported the school’s signature color. This generous helping of burnt orange is paired with a white midsole, for a clean look that is reminiscent of the various non-branded “Team Bank” Pegasus colorways that are worn by UT coaches, support staff, and athletes each year. The colorway is rounded out with light grey and white accents throughout, giving the shoe a good amount of contrast.

For UT branding, the Longhorn logo can be found on the lateral side of the sneaker. The words “Texas Longhorns” are inscribed on the tongue of the right shoe. Finally, the insoles also feature the steer head logo set against a repeating circle pattern, resulting in a shoe that is tastefully branded without being too overwhelming.

Author Opinion: Almost Perfect

Longtime followers of this page likely won’t be surprised to read that I’m a huge fan of these UT Pegasus 39s. They sport the three main features that I personally like to see in a Longhorn sneaker; a burnt orange upper, a white midsole, and some form of University of Texas branding. While some Longhorn fans might feel this colorway is too simple, I believe that it gives the sneakers with a near timeless look that also makes them feel unique to UT Austin. Given how well the last two burnt orange Week Zero sneakers sold (the Free TR 8 and Pegasus 36), I fully expect these to be a big hit when they finally release to the public.

The only major criticism I have is that the insoles are a bit plain. Many of the other college Pegasus 39s look to feature school specific patterns on their insoles, such as a dogbone print for the Georgia Bulldogs pair and a checkerboard pattern on the Tennessee Volunteers edition. It would have been nice to see an alternating font “Texas” and Longhorn logo pattern printed on the insoles, like the one found on some of the first UT Week Zero pairs. Alternatively, Nike could have also incorporated Coach Sarkisian’s “All Gas No Brakes” motto into the insole to make these kicks just a little more unique. However, the lack of a special insole is admittedly a small criticism, and I’m overall very happy with how these UT Pegasus 39s turned out.

Potential Release Date and Price

As these are leaked images, there is currently no official release date set for Pegasus 39 “Texas”. However, if they follow the release pattern that previous Week Zero style releases have abided by, the shoes will almost certainly drop sometime between late July and early September, with an August release being the most likely possibility. If price stays consistent with previous UT Pegasus, these will likely retail for $130, a $10 markup from the usual MSRP for the 39s.

What are your thoughts on this newly leaked pair of Texas Pegasus 39s? Are you excited to see a burnt orange upper return to the Week Zero series, or would you have preferred that Nike use a less-traditional color instead?

Update: The Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 39 “Texas” will be released on 9/14 for $140. This information comes from Hibbett Sports, which has a few other Pegasus 39 college colorways releasing on that day for that price.

Images via @US_11