Texas' Big-Game Success Raises Troubling Question About Steve Sarkisian's Program

Since 2023, the Texas Longhorns have recorded 17 victories against ranked opponents, the most of any FBS program.

And since joining the SEC, the Longhorns have compiled a 3–1 record against ranked conference opponents on the road, another indication of the program's ability to perform in hostile environments.

Those aren’t the numbers of a program that struggles when the lights shine brightest.

Yet, as Texas prepares for another ranked road matchup against Missouri this Saturday, there’s an uncomfortable question hanging over Sarkisian’s program.

If the Longhorns have proven they can beat just about anybody, why haven’t they?

A Tale of Two Teams

Oct 31, 2026; Austin, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns wide receiver Cam Coleman and offensive lineman Brandon Baker react after Coleman caught a touchdown pass during the first half against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Scott Wachter-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

At its best, Texas has looked every bit like a national championship contender.

I could go through Texas' ranked victories game by game, but at this point, the names speak for themselves. What matters is that all three opponents currently sit inside the top 13 of the College Football Playoff rankings.

“I think we're built for this type of stuff,” Sarkisian said on Monday. “We know how to do it.”

That’s the tale of Texas at its best. A team slotted in at No. 7 in the CFP rankings, above several teams with better records, despite two losses to unranked opponents.

But there’s another version of the Longhorns that has surfaced throughout this season, and it’s that version that threatens to undo everything the first has accomplished.

The Other Side of The Story

Oct 24, 2026; Austin, Texas, USA; Mississippi Rebels defensive end Blake Purchase sacks Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning , forcing a fumble, during the second half at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Scott Wachter-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Against Oklahoma, Texas watched a 17–7 lead disappear. Special teams blunders combined with an unraveling offense led to the first Red River defeat since both teams joined the SEC.

A week later, the wrong version of Texas showed up again. Only this time, there was no neutral-site rivalry or split crowd. The Longhorns squandered another double-digit lead, falling to Florida in front of their own fans.

The circumstances of the losses may have differed, but both performances shared the same troubling characteristic: Texas failed to finish the job.

While those defeats have been followed by two consecutive victories, some of the problems that contributed to them remain unresolved.

Against Mississippi State, Texas surrendered five sacks, rushed for just 60 yards and managed only 13 first downs.

The Longhorns still emerged victorious, but their defense had to do the majority of the heavy lifting.

It’s a curious contradiction.

The same program that can overcome adversity against some of the nation's most formidable teams still finds itself vulnerable to mistakes and offensive stagnation.

Sarkisian has acknowledged the need for improvement, emphasizing execution and physicality when discussing the running game during Thursday's media availability.

“We got to go get the tough yards and not worry so much about the home run runs,” Sarkisian said. “We just got to find a way to get 3, 4, 5, 6-yard runs, and then ultimately, if we can do that consistently, then you can find 10, 15, 20, 30-yard runs.”

It’s a relatively simple philosophy, but one that Sarkisian’s been hammering all season and has yet to see consistently executed.

And with four games remaining in the regular season, including road trips to Missouri, LSU and Texas A&M, the Longhorns are running out of opportunities to figure it out.

Saturday presents another chance for Sarkisian to strengthen an already impressive resume against ranked competition.

But the bigger challenge extends beyond Missouri.

Texas is in the midst of a Jekyll-and-Hyde season.

One version of the Longhorns has put them in a position to compete for the national championship.

The other one could be what prevents them from getting there.

Which one will the Texas faithful see on Saturday?

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