Incompletions, stuffed rushing attempts, and a whole lot of sloppiness led to the No. 22 Texas Longhorns failing to build even a minimal lead over the unranked Mississippi State Bulldogs at halftime.
Over the last week, with increasing volume, analysts and fans alike kept asking if Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian was making the right decision by refusing to give up the offensive play-calling responsibilities.
Instead of allowing the Horns' offensive coordinator, Kyle Flood, who Sarkisian hired into the role in 2021, to call the plays, the Texas head coach has adamantly and repeatedly stated that he is the best man for the job.
As the two teams headed to their locker rooms at halftime, the Bulldogs held a 24-14 lead over Texas, and it once again looked like the Horns were falling apart at the seams.
The Longhorns' sluggish start against a far-from-average Mississippi State team only further proved that people were right when they questioned if Sarkisian's decision was the right one.
Texas offensive struggles in 2025
Against power conference opponents, Texas averaged just 16.75 points per game throughout the first half of the season, putting up just seven points against Ohio State and only 16 against Kentucky for season lows.
Scoring just 14 points in the first half against a defense that has been lackluster at best was far from ideal, and it led to even more people calling for Sarkisian to hand over his playbook, whether it was to Flood or someone else.
Mississippi State was able to force three punts by Texas in the first quarter alone, even after the Horns pieced together a swift first drive on offense. On third down attempts, the Longhorns went 3-of-8, converting just 37.5 percent of their late down efforts.
The Horns earned less than 130 total yards (99 passing, 31 rushing) in the first half, as the running back room once again struggled to find its footing, with Manning scoring the only rushing touchdown of the half.
Not to mention, as the Horns had yet another chance to put points on the board, Manning threw a pass that was tipped by wide receiver Parker Livingstone and picked off by cornerback Kelley Jones.
Meanwhile, the Bulldogs earned 281 yards and were able to string together impressive drives despite numerous dropped passes by wideouts and tight ends, leading to Mississippi State quarterback Blake Shappen completing just over 50 percent of his passes.
You can blame Manning's mistakes, the young offensive line, or anything else, but at the end of the day, Sarkisian's play-calling choices are clearly not setting up the Longhorns for success. It may be time for the Texas head coach to finally throw up his hands and admit he might not be the best man for the job.