BYU Cougars Throw Shade at Steve Sarkisian After Controversial CFP Comments

Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian made it clear after the 27-17 win over No. 3 Texas A&M that his team belongs in the College Football Playoff.

“It would be a disservice to our sport if this team is not a playoff team when we went and scheduled that non-conference game," Sarkisian said during the postgame interview with ESPN. "Because if we’re a 10-2 team, it’s not a question."

However, Sarkisian's choice of words quickly got turned against him on Saturday, and by his alma mater no less.

BYU Cougars Social Media Account Takes Jab at Steve Sarkisian

Sarkisian, who played quarterback at BYU in 1995 and '96, received a subtle jab from his former school on social media after the Cougars beat the UCF Knights, 41-21, to complete an 11-1 regular season and clinch a spot in the Big 12 Championship against Texas Tech.

BYU remains a bubble team for the CFP headed into Arlington but the Cougars currently have a strong argument to land a spot in the 12-team bracket ahead of Texas, and it's clear the people behind BYU's social media team feel the same way.

"Headed to the Big 12 Championship. It would be a disservice to our sport if this team’s not a playoff team," BYU's X account wrote.

Though BYU didn't mention Sarkisian or Texas directly, the specific choice of words makes it obvious who the post was for.

11-1

Headed to the Big 12 Championship.

It would be a disservice to our sport if this team’s not a playoff team. pic.twitter.com/4Ahhc3KPWn
— BYU FOOTBALL (@BYUfootball) November 29, 2025

Sarkisian is among the best quarterbacks in BYU history. He finished the 1996 season with an FBS-best 68.8 completion percentage and still holds the sixth-most passing yards in a single season in school history with 4,027 yards during that same year.

That said, it appears even he isn't safe from a few light-hearted jabs on social media.

Sarkisian's comments during the ESPN interview also included some remarks about the Ohio State loss, a game in which many Texas fans think should not have been played if that loss will be preventing the Longhorns from earning a spot in the CFP.

"But, we were willing to go play that game. So, is that what college football is about?" Sarkisian continued. "Don’t play anybody and just have a good record, or play the best and put the best teams in the playoff. And, we’re one of the best teams.”

The Longhorns have three Top-10 wins (Texas A&M, Oklahoma, Vanderbilt) and looked convincingly better than the opposition in each victory. However, it appears that the three loss will be too much for Texas to overcome once the CFP committee announces its final selections.