Steve Sarkisian had the kind of Monday message that usually follows a win, not a coronation.
Yes, Texas is No. 1 after knocking off then-No. 1 Ohio State in one of the wildest finishes of the early season.
Yes, the Longhorns rallied from a 23-3 fourth-quarter hole to win 24-23 on Saturday night. But Sarkisian made sure the mood around Austin didn’t drift anywhere near satisfaction.
“Our ball security is not good enough,” Sarkisian said. “Not to be a championship team.
Our third-down defense right now is not good enough. Not to be a championship team.”
That was the tone as Texas turns to UTSA this Saturday night. The Longhorns moved to 2-0 and rose to No. 1 in the AP poll, but Sarkisian was quick to swat away any notion that one dramatic comeback changes the bigger picture.
“I showed them the Kobe clip this morning,” Sarkisian said. “Job's not finished.”
The finish against Ohio State was the kind of ending that can reshape a season’s perception in a single night. Texas scored three touchdowns in the fourth quarter, grabbed its first lead with 25 seconds left, and flipped the game on its head after looking stuck for three quarters.
Arch Manning’s final line read 23-of-37 for 195 yards and a touchdown, but the fourth quarter told the real story. He went 8 of 11 for 83 yards in the final period and steered touchdown drives of 91, 72 and 73 yards.
Sarkisian liked the way Manning handled the pressure when the offense had been quiet for most of the night.
“He didn't panic. He stayed the course,” Sarkisian said.
Manning’s 3-yard touchdown pass to Ryan Wingo got the rally rolling, and Hollywood Smothers finished the job with two 1-yard scores. Smothers totaled 74 rushing yards and delivered the game-winner.
Texas also showed the sort of edge Sarkisian has been pushing for. The Longhorns ran it 41 times against Ohio State and were penalized just twice for 12 yards.
Even so, the warning signs are real. Texas has already put the ball on the ground multiple times through two games, and Sarkisian said the Longhorns are at the bottom of the SEC in third-down defense.
That matters even more now that every opponent gets a crack at the team sitting atop the rankings.
For Sarkisian, the No. 1 label is just noise.
“The ranking doesn't matter,” Sarkisian said. “How we perform is what matters the most.”
In Other News...
Texas Win Just Became An Even Bigger September Statement
Texas win in Columbus already looked like a massive early-season result, but the way it aged only made it more valuable. Ohio States 24-23 loss carried the kind of weight that can reshape September narratives, especially after the Buckeyes had built a cushion and then watched the game slip away late. The defeat also sent a jolt through the rankings, with Ohio State falling to No. 6 in the AP Poll after a result that will linger for a while.
Ryan Days postgame admission only sharpened the aftermath. He said he made the wrong call by keeping his defense on the field instead of allowing Texas to score and giving Ohio State a chance to answer, a decision that directly fed into the final sequence. For the Longhorns, the opening road win now stands as more than a marquee victory. It has become a statement with real staying power, the kind that can help define the whole month. [Read more 🡒]
Texas Found A Second Half Answer For Jeremiah Smith
For all the buzz around Ohio State receiver Jeremiah Smith going into the matchup, Texas needed a corner who could steady the game when it started to tilt, and Bo Mascoe became that answer after halftime. Smith still made his mark with eight catches for 164 yards and a touchdown, but most of that damage came in the first half before Texas tightened things up and chipped away in a 24-23 comeback win.
Mascoes second-half work was the kind of adjustment that can swing a game against elite talent, as he kept Smith from coming up with a catch on four targets after the break. Steve Sarkisian pointed to that improved play from Mascoe and the defensive stops around him as key moments in a win Texas badly needed, even if the Longhorns will spend plenty of time now wondering how close they came to letting Smith take over the night. [Read more 🡒]
Marcel Reed Just Handed Texas Fresh Rivalry Fuel
Marcel Reed is already adding some edge to the next chapter of the Lone Star State rivalry, and not in a way Texas fans will mind. In a recent SportsCenter interview, the Texas A&M quarterback looked back on his 0-2 record against the Longhorns and said those losses came down to mistakes on the Aggies side rather than anything Texas did to beat them, a candid view that only sharpens the conversation heading into the next meeting.
Reed also made clear he understands what the game means, calling the rivalry important and saying he is excited for it while stressing that his team has to play better. For Texas, it is the kind of reminder that the matchup brings plenty of emotion before kickoff, even if Reeds previous numbers against the Longhorns have not given A&M much comfort. [Read more 🡒]