Steve Sarkisian Knows What Texas Still Needs to Fix After Ohio State Win

It would have been easy for Texas to spend Monday basking in what it had just accomplished.

Instead, the Longhorns went back to work.

Texas erased a 20-point fourth-quarter deficit to stun No. 1 Ohio State 24-23, scoring 21 unanswered points in the final quarter. But Steve Sarkisian wasn't interested in letting the dramatic finish erase the problems that put his team in that position.

“We were not perfect, OK, and we've got plenty of things to work on,” Sarkisian said Monday.

That may be the most important takeaway from the win. Texas proved it can survive against an elite opponent. Now, Sarkisian wants to see whether the Longhorns can become a team that doesn't need to survive that kind of game in the first place.

Third Down Is Still a Problem

Ohio State Buckeyes defensive end Kenyatta Jackson Jr. (2) tackles Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning (16) during the first half at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

One of the biggest areas Sarkisian identified was third-down execution.

Texas converted 9 of 16 third downs against Ohio State, an impressive number that helped fuel the fourth-quarter comeback. But the defense had a harder time getting off the field, allowing the Buckeyes to convert 42.9 percent of their third-down opportunities.

That became particularly important because Ohio State controlled much of the game before the fourth quarter. Texas couldn't consistently get the ball back, and that contributed to the massive deficit the Longhorns eventually had to overcome.

Sarkisian's message isn't that the defense suddenly became a problem. It's that Texas has to become more consistent in the details that decide individual downs.

The same applies to turnovers.

Texas had multiple dangerous moments with the football against Ohio State, including turnovers that helped put the Longhorns behind early. Sarkisian has made it clear that ball security remains something the entire organization needs to emphasize, even after the comeback.

That combination of protecting the football and winning more consistently on third down could determine how different Texas looks once SEC play begins.

The Longhorns won't get many games where they can fall 20 points behind and still have enough time to come back.

There is also a reason Sarkisian isn't treating the Ohio State victory as the finished product. Texas is now 2-0, but the Longhorns still have one nonconference game against UTSA before opening SEC play against Tennessee.

The comeback showed Texas has the talent and resilience to beat the best team in the country.

The next step is making sure it doesn't have to play from behind to prove it.

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