Steve Sarkisian has spent the week framing Texas’ trip to LSU as the kind of assignment his team has learned to embrace.
After the Longhorns’ 34-20 win at Missouri, Sarkisian described Texas as “big-game hunters,” and that label fits the stretch they’ve put together. The Longhorns have now won six straight games against AP Top 25 opponents, and they’ve taken six consecutive road wins over ranked teams since 2023.
Now comes another heavyweight test, this time against Lane Kiffin’s LSU Tigers in Baton Rouge. Sarkisian didn’t hide how highly he views the matchup.
“You could argue this is the most talented defense we’re going to go against this year,” Sarkisian said. “And arguably, the most talented team.”
That kind of challenge is exactly the sort Texas has been handling well away from home. Sarkisian said the road environment is something his players have grown to welcome because of the results they’ve already stacked up.
“I think our guys love it, honestly,” Sarkisian said. “There’s something different when you’re on the road … And again, we’ve had success, and so that helps when you’ve had success on the road that they trust us.”
One reason Texas has looked more comfortable in those settings, Sarkisian said, is the way the team has carried its weekly work into games. He called it “taking practice to the game.”
That showed up against Missouri, where Arch Manning completed 28 of 38 passes for 297 yards and three touchdowns. The performance earned him Southeastern Conference Offensive Player of the Week honors.
Sarkisian pointed to Manning’s recent play after Texas’ back-to-back losses to Oklahoma and Florida, saying the quarterback has sharpened his efficiency and played with more confidence. He also stressed that communication with Manning remains a key part of keeping the offense moving.
“Sometimes it’s not saying anything,” Sarkisian said. “Sometimes, it is having a formal one-on-one meeting.
Sometimes, it’s like, hey, I don’t need to have a meeting with him right now. He’s in a good groove.”
Against LSU, Texas will face what Sarkisian described as the toughest defensive group on its schedule. He singled out Princeton Malbrue and Jordan Ross as elite pass rushers, Ty Benefield as a defensive playmaker and DJ Pickett as one of the nation’s top cover corners.
For Texas to keep its offense on track, Sarkisian said the formula is straightforward: avoid negative plays, protect the football and stay efficient.
The setting only adds to the test. Texas is headed into one of college football’s loudest road environments for a Saturday night game, but Sarkisian believes the confidence comes from how the Longhorns have prepared all week.
That process starts Monday, with Sarkisian pushing for a physical, competitive edge from the first practice rep all the way through kickoff in Baton Rouge.
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For Texas, that meeting matters because Muschamps approach has already shown it can disrupt Kiffins rhythm. The Longhorns are walking into a game where the defensive coordinators past success against one of college footballs most inventive offensive minds could shape the plan, even if the bigger test is proving that blueprint still works in Baton Rouge. [Read more 🡒]
Matas Vokietaitis Is Giving Texas Fans Real Reason To Believe
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Even with the offense humming at a 100-point pace, the bigger takeaway may be how much easier Texas looks when Vokietaitis is involved early and often. The Longhorns now turn to Baylor in San Antonio, where the level of competition rises and the same questions about consistency and interior production will get a more revealing test. [Read more 🡒]