Texas Longhorns HC Steve Sarkisian has almost everything working for him in Austin, and the talk around this season is big. Expectations are sky-high, especially with quarterback Arch Manning drawing attention before even taking a snap. There’s real substance here, not just hype.
And like HC Ryan Day in the 2024 season, Colin Cowherd thinks Sarkisian will be under serious pressure in 2025. A single early loss could shake everything.
Colin Cowherd Compares Steve Sarkisian to Ryan Day’s 2024 Scrutiny
HC Sarkisian has led the Longhorns to the College Football Playoff semifinals twice, but in 2025, that’s no longer enough. With massive investment poured into the program, this season is all about one thing: winning a national championship. Every game counts, and every win matters.
Colin Cowherd of The Herd says Sarkisian has to deliver from day one, starting with a high-stakes opener against Ohio State on August 30. It’s a tough matchup, but for fans and donors, it’s more than just a game. It’s the tone-setter for a title-or-bust season.
“The Ohio State game. I mean, we forget Ryan Day, after losing to Michigan, was in big trouble, and then they go out and roll Tennessee, and everybody forgets about it,” Cowherd said. “Now we look at Sark, and Sark, to me, is this year’s Ryan Day. If they lose at Columbus, that next loss, with Arch Manning, Sark’s getting heat.
“And, by the way, Texas is a weird program. There’s a lot of cooks in the kitchen, there’s a lot of money coming from a lot of places, and my take is the game is much bigger for Texas than it is for Ohio State.”
Arch, the newest star from the legendary Manning quarterback family, is under a spotlight like no other. The hype is real, and so is the pressure it brings for HC Sarkisian.
Sarkisian isn’t in the hot seat yet, but the road games at Ohio State and Georgia could change that fast.
Sarkisian has proven himself to be a top-tier recruiter. Now the question is: can he deliver when it counts? How many athletic departments wouldn’t trade places with Texas right now?
That’s the challenge. With elite talent, deep pockets, and sky-high expectations, this could be the year Texas finally turns promise into a championship.
Texas Longhorns 2025 Schedule
Texas’s SEC schedule in 2025 is middle-of-the-pack, but the road ahead isn’t easy. The Longhorns face just four tough teams, and three of them are away: Ohio State, Florida, and Georgia.
- Aug. 30 at Ohio State
- Sept. 6 San Jose State
- Sept. 13 UTEP
- Sept. 20 Sam Houston
- Oct. 4 at Florida
- Oct. 11 Oklahoma (Dallas)
- Oct. 18 at Kentucky
- Oct. 25 at Mississippi State
- Nov. 1 Vanderbilt
- Nov. 15 at Georgia
- Nov. 22 Arkansas
- Nov. 29 Texas A&M
