Steve Sarkisian didn’t let Texas enjoy the view from No. 1 for long.
After the Longhorns rallied past Ohio State in a comeback that instantly changed the conversation around the program, Sarkisian showed his team the famous Kobe Bryant press conference clip from when the Los Angeles Lakers grabbed a 2-0 lead in the 2009 NBA Finals.
“What’s there to be happy about? Job’s not finished,” Bryant said in the video.
That message fit the moment. Texas has been here before, at least in the AP Poll, and the recent history has not been kind.
The Longhorns opened last season ranked No. 1 and never got back there after a Week 1 loss. In 2024, they climbed to No. 1 in the middle of the season, then dropped after a home loss to Georgia. So while Texas is back on top after knocking off the old No. 1, the number beside its name comes with baggage.
For Sarkisian, though, the ranking is just noise. The win over Ohio State mattered because it was earned, and because it was the kind of regular-season victory Texas hasn’t had much of lately. Still, he made it clear the program can’t get pulled in two directions by outside opinion.
“A week ago, the narrative was we can’t win the big game,” Sarkisian said. “Now the opinion is, ‘Oh, now we’re the best team in the country,’ allegedly, and so everybody’s patting us on the back.
Two polar opposites of where we are. We need to stay right here, right?
We need to stay enamored of what we need to do and focus on us and continue to try to improve, regardless of who the opponent is or isn’t.”
That’s the challenge now. Texas is only in Week 3, and the schedule is about to turn.
The Longhorns finish nonconference play against UTSA this weekend before diving into a demanding Southeastern Conference slate. With Texas sitting at the top, every opponent will be bringing its best shot.
There’s also the matter of perspective. Even with the comeback over Ohio State, Texas did not play a perfect game.
Monday’s practice reflected that urgency. The celebration was already over.
“At practice, to be honest, today it felt like we lost,” senior quarterback Arch Manning said on Monday. “Like, we’re back going. So flush it, move on and keep it rolling.”
That’s where Texas is now: at No. 1, but not comfortable, and certainly not finished. The ranking may not matter much until the College Football Playoff Committee starts releasing its own standings later in the regular season. What matters in the meantime is what Texas does next, starting with how it prepares.
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