Steve Sarkisian has lost games at Texas that were more embarrassing on paper. He's lost games that hurt more in the standings. But there is something particularly troubling about this latest defeat, because Texas is supposed to be past the point where performances like this are acceptable.
This this might be the most damaging one to his credibility as the Texas head coach.
This wasn't just another loss on Sarkisian's resumé. It was the kind of defeat that calls into question the progress Texas thought it had made. Texas had never lost to Oklahoma when the Longhorns were ranked No. 1 in the history of the program. This is the kind of first Steve Sarkisian didn't want next to his name.
So many things went wrong for Texas, and all the little mistakes added up. While none of them can necessarily be pinned on Sarkisian, you have to wonder if mental preparedness is the bigger issue.
Why this loss feels worse than Sarkisian's previous Texas defeats
In Sarkisian's early years, there were understandable explanations for disappointing performances: a roster still being rebuilt, new systems, and a program trying to rediscover its identity.
Those explanations have become much harder to use
Losing to a team like Georgia, regular season or postseason, is painful, but somewhat forgivable. Losing to Kansas in 2021 can be explained away, as it was his first season on the job. Losing to Oklahoma in 2023 wasn't a happy moment, but both teams were ranked, and Texas wasn't sitting as the No. 1 team in the nation.
But it seemed like Texas had been making progress, and this game was supposed to be the next step. A third straight win over an overmatched Sooners team.
Someone forgot to tell Oklahoma that, and Texas may have taken them a little too lightly. Again, is that on Sark? Was it just "the way the ball bounces," or is there a problem with this team and coaching staff?
The game was in Texas' grasp, and the Longhorns handed it back to Oklahoma. They gifted the game to a team that shouldn't have been able to hang with them beyond two quarters. That is what makes this loss so crushing, and why the questions about Sarkisian that had been quieted might be getting louder once more.
Steve Sarkisian has run out of excuses for losses like this
If you're Steve Sarkisian, there's not much in the way of excuses to make about this loss. There weren't key injuries; you had your starting quarterback healthy, you had your playmakers on the field, and you had a much-improved defense.
So why? What can Sarkisian possibly say about this loss?
Sarkisian has had multiple recruiting cycles and transfer portal windows to shape this team. Texas has the resources, facilities, and recruiting profile to compete for championships. Sarkisian has already demonstrated that Texas can compete nationally. The program should now be judged against that standard.
It's not there.
This isn't about calling for Sark's job. It's about accountability. Texas has invested heavily in building a championship-caliber program. Fans can reasonably expect the team to meet that standard, and it's not there. We saw shades of it last week against Tennessee, and it really showed up against Oklahoma.
The more credit Sarkisian deserves for rebuilding Texas, the more responsibility he has to accept when that rebuilt program falls short. In other words, Steve Sarkisian deserves credit for making Texas relevant again. He doesn't deserve a permanent pass every time the Longhorns fail to play like the program he built.
Steve Sarkisian has spent years convincing everyone that Texas belongs among college football's elite. He's had some success in that mission. But being an elite program comes with expectations that cannot be lowered whenever the results become uncomfortable.
This isn't about demanding perfection. It's about recognizing that the standard Sarkisian helped create is now the standard he must meet.
And that's what makes this loss so difficult to excuse.
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