Texas got the result it needed on Saturday night, beating Ole Miss 34-27 in front of its home crowd, but Steve Sarkisian still found a way to make the postgame conversation about the fans.
After the win at DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium, the Longhorns head coach praised the scene inside the stadium while also taking a playful shot at supporters who had unloaded their tickets before kickoff.
“What an amazing atmosphere & energy DKR was again,” Sarkisian said during a postgame press conference. “And for those fans that sold their tickets, they missed a hell of a game tonight.”
That line landed because the crowd had become part of the story before the game even started. The energy was strong in Austin, but some Texas fans drew attention for selling off tickets ahead of a matchup that ended up being a big one for the Longhorns. Some of those seats wound up in the hands of Ole Miss visitors, many of whom were likely experiencing Austin for the first time.
The context mattered, too. Texas entered the game at 4-2, and the fan base’s frustration showed in the ticket market. A win over the Rebels offered the kind of reset the program needed, and it may also quiet the trend Sarkisian was joking about.
Texas now turns to Mississippi State next week, with Sarkisian not likely to need another reminder to stir up his own crowd. The Longhorns will also host Arkansas in their home finale on Nov. 21.
In Other News...
Mississippi State Suddenly Has A Quarterback Problem Before Texas
Mississippi States quarterback situation got a lot murkier Saturday when Kamario Taylor left early against Oklahoma with a right foot injury and never made it back onto the field. Jeff Lebby confirmed after the game that it was the same foot Taylor hurt earlier in the season, a setback that comes after the sophomore had already been limited in practice leading into the matchup.
For a Bulldogs team trying to get its offense sorted out before Texas, the timing is less than ideal. Lebby said the staff expects to have a better read on Taylors status soon, but he did not offer a return timeline, leaving Mississippi State to sort through another week of uncertainty at the games most important position. [Read more 🡒]
Mississippi State Found One Reason For Hope In A Frustrating Loss
Mississippi State had plenty to sort through after a frustrating loss to Oklahoma, but there was at least one encouraging sign buried in the result: Fluff Bothwell looked like himself again. Back after missing time since the Alabama game, the running back gave the Bulldogs a needed jolt with 111 yards on 17 carries, giving the offense a physical presence it had been missing while the team tried to keep pace.
There were other bright spots, too, even if they came in a defeat. Tight end Sam West connected on an 18-yard touchdown pass, Billy Puckett finished 17 of 24 for 158 yards, and linebackers Tyler Lockhart and Fatt Forrest each piled up 10 tackles. But the Bulldogs could not fully cash in on those moments, and the combination of key turnovers and an Oklahoma ground game that produced 184 rushing yards left Mississippi State looking for more than just one reason to feel better. [Read more 🡒]
Mississippi State Still Has One Dangerous Question At Quarterback
Mississippi States quarterback room is getting a little healthier at a time when every snap matters. Kamario Taylor has recovered from the injury that sidelined him for part of the Alabama game and kept him out entirely against LSU, giving the Bulldogs a much-needed option back as they turn their attention to Oklahoma.
Taylor and the coaching staff made the call after consulting with his doctors, and that matters as much as the timetable itself. The Bulldogs have been waiting to see how his status would settle, and his return to availability adds another layer to a position that has been one of the teams most closely watched spots heading into the weekend. [Read more 🡒]