Texas still has a path to the College Football Playoff, but the mood around the program has taken a hard turn anyway.
That’s the backdrop as No. 19 Texas gets ready to host No.
7 Ole Miss this weekend in what amounts to a must-handle game on the Forty Acres. After back-to-back losses to Oklahoma and Florida, confidence around the Longhorns has sagged fast, even with the season still alive.
Head coach Steve Sarkisian made clear Monday that the crowd matters in a spot like this. “This is a very good game against a top 10 opponent - a very good football team,” Sarkisian said.
“We’re going to need (the crowd’s) energy. We’re going to need their passion.”
Instead, much of the energy around Texas has been pointed inward. Fans have spent the week venting about the losses, with the Florida defeat landing especially hard after what many had already written off as a strange rivalry setback against Oklahoma. For a team that entered the 2026 campaign with heavy expectations, the frustration has become impossible to ignore.
Junior offensive lineman Brandon Baker said that kind of swing is just part of being around the sport. “When you’re winning, everyone loves you,” Baker said.
“When you’re losing, it’s the opposite. That’s the nature of the game.
That’s the nature of the sport.”
Still, there’s a difference between frustration and turning on your own team, and Texas fans have developed a reputation for doing the latter louder than most. That’s not just about disappointment. It’s also the reality of a fanbase used to success, one that has watched strong rosters come through Austin for years.
The rise of name, image and likeness has only sharpened that pressure. When players are being compensated and treated more like professionals, the expectations rise with them. But they’re still young men, averaging around 20 years old, and they deserve a crowd that stays with them instead of piling on when things go sideways.
That point stood out even more for someone who saw Texas win at Tennessee just a few weeks ago. In Neyland Stadium, the Volunteers didn’t spend the night tearing down their own side. Their fans had their team’s back, and that contrast was hard to miss.
None of that means Texas fans have to pretend the losses don’t matter, or act like the Longhorns have already earned a CFP spot. The criticism is understandable.
Losing stings, especially when the expectations are this high. But the crowd’s role still matters, and Texas football games are a major part of the student experience on campus.
Sarkisian said his team will keep pushing through the noise. “We’re going to play the game hard, and we’re going to play the game the right way,” Sarkisian said.
“We may not be perfect, and we probably won’t be perfect. But we should be a team that (the fans are) very proud of.”
That’s the line Texas should be trying to hold onto right now. Fans can demand better without burying the team in the process.
Criticism has its place. Self-destruction doesn’t.
In Other News...
Arch Manning Is Showing Texas Something Different At A Crucial Time
Arch Manning has been drawing a different kind of attention around Texas this week, and Steve Sarkisian noticed it during practice. After a rough stretch and a two-game losing streak, the Longhorns are looking for a spark from their quarterback, and Sarkisian said Manning has looked edgy in practice as the team tries to steady itself before Ole Miss.
Sarkisian sounded optimistic that Manning can turn that edge into production when it matters most. He also pointed to backup KJ Lacey as a steady presence behind the scenes, praising the freshman's solid play and coachability this season, a small but meaningful reminder that Texas is still trying to sort out its quarterback room while the pressure keeps building. [Read more 🡒]
Georgia Legend Sparks SEC QB Debate With Arch Manning Shot
David Pollacks latest SEC quarterback rundown landed with some weight, especially in Texas circles, because it came with a clear endorsement of Georgias Gunner Stockton and a sharp critique of Arch Manning. Pollack, who has long had a strong feel for the leagues biggest quarterbacks, stuck with Stockton even after a rough outing, framing the Georgia signal-caller as someone he still trusts as the games get bigger and the pressure rises.
For Texas, the more pointed part of the discussion was the Manning evaluation. Pollack pointed to an underwhelming performance and issues in key games during Mannings second full season as a starter, a reminder that the scrutiny around the Longhorns quarterback is only growing. With Texas always measured against the SECs best, comments like that add another layer to the conversation about how Manning stacks up when the spotlight is brightest. [Read more 🡒]
Texas Must Face A Recruiting Miss At The Worst Time
Kewan Lacys path to this point carries a little extra sting for Texas. The Dallas native and Ole Miss running back was a three-star prospect who had long wanted to play for the Longhorns, but Steve Sarkisian and his staff never extended a scholarship offer. Now Lacy has turned into a productive piece for the Rebels, and Texas is set to see him up close in a matchup that arrives with plenty on the line for both sides.
The Longhorns meet Ole Miss on Oct. 24 in a game scheduled for ABC, and the timing could hardly be worse for Texas. Its defense is already dealing with injuries to key players, which puts even more pressure on a unit trying to hold up against an offense featuring a runner it once passed on. For Texas, it is the kind of recruiting miss that can feel much bigger when the calendar finally circles back. [Read more 🡒]