Texas is officially fighting for its College Football Playoff life this Saturday when they host Ole Miss, and the pressure cooker in Austin is absolutely *boiling*. Just two weeks ago, these Longhorns were sitting pretty at No. 1 in the polls. Now? After back-to-back losses to unranked teams, they’re in full-on fight-or-flight mode. While us fans outside the program are questioning everything about coach Steve Sarkisian’s performance and Arch Manning’s starting spot, the internal sentiment, according to Athletic Director Chris Del Conte, is “Phenomenal.” Seriously.
The Pressure Cooker on the Forty Acres
“Phenomenal” is a strong word, especially when the No. 19 Longhorns are sitting at 4-2 overall and a rough 1-2 in the SEC. They’ve been struggling big time to score, and Manning has taken the absolute brunt of that fallout. Sarkisian himself promised to “evaluate everything” after last week’s brutal 27-24 home loss to Florida. We’re hearing that backup KJ Lacey Jr. has actually been getting more first-team reps in practices over the last two weeks, which tells you everything you need to know about the current situation. Still, Sarkisian is expected to start Manning against the No. 7 Ole Miss Rebels this weekend.
Del Conte tried to defend Sarkisian by pointing out that Texas was one of five top-seven teams in the AP poll to lose last week, a record number. “We all expect to win every single game,” Del Conte said, almost stating the obvious. “They got good players. We got good players. Things happen within a game.” But come on, losing two in a row after being No. 1? That’s not just “things happen.”
“Rome is Not Burning”? Try Telling the Fans That
Del Conte also dropped the line, “Rome is not burning.” He followed that up with, “Expectations should be high. They’re high for us, too. That’s why you come to University of Texas. But the noise is a lot greater outside than it is in our building, than it is on the Forty Acres.” It sounds a lot like denial when you look at the full picture.
This isn’t the first time Del Conte has backed his coach through a rough patch. Back in 2021, he penned a letter to fans asking them to stick together during a five-game losing streak. But the context right now feels so much different. Texas missed the College Football Playoff in 2025 after also starting that season No. 1 in the polls. Players openly admitted back in July that anything less than a national championship *this season* would be a massive disappointment. Now, they’re staring down the barrel of missing the playoff *again*, despite having one of the most expensive and talented rosters in college football.
The skid started October 10 in Dallas at the Red River Rivalry. Texas was up 17-7 on Oklahoma at halftime. They outgained the Sooners 382-238, but then they absolutely melted down in the second half, losing 27-24. Oklahoma scored on a blocked punt, then took its first lead when Manning threw a pick-six in the fourth quarter. Manning did answer with a throw to Jermaine Bishop Jr. to tie the game, but then threw *another* interception with just 19 seconds left, setting up Oklahoma’s Tate Sandell for the game-winning 47-yard field goal. That’s a tough one to shake.
So, this Saturday against No. 7 Ole Miss, it’s all on the line. Can Sarkisian and Manning turn this ship around, or will the “phenomenal” facade finally crack? Every single play matters for their playoff hopes.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
Leave a Reply