Despite back-to-back College Football Playoff appearances in 2023 and 2024, Steve Sarkisian enters the 2026 season walking a tightrope over a $60.3 million buyout pit. In a highly competitive college football landscape, Yahoo Sports’ Steven Godfrey isn’t pulling punches about the reality at Austin. Prove it or you are out.
Steve Sarkisian Faces Reality Check With Texas Longhorns
Godfrey, appearing in a conversation with Bomani Jones, pointed out how Sarkisian was in an interesting position after the hiring of Will Muschamp. He said, “I would say because of what’s going on in Austin, I would say Sark is in a very interesting situation… If it ain’t (the year), your a*s is out.”
Godfrey notes that smart athletic directors smell blood long before a season sours. By bringing in a former head coach with deep Texas ties, the administration has effectively installed an insurance policy.
“If they know if they can smell even the slightest bit of blood going into a season with expectations, they need to know where that interim is going to be. There is a ton of pressure on Steve Sarkisian right now. Massive amount. At least Ryan Day has the hardware,” Godfrey concluded.
To understand the 2026 hot seat, one must look at the 10-3 campaign of 2025. On paper, a Citrus Bowl victory over Michigan and a top-15 finish look elite.
However, for a program that entered the season as the consensus No. 1 team in the country, it was a failure of expectations. Blown leads and red-zone inefficiency resurfaced and led the fans to question if the $11 million-a-year man can finish the job.
However, the 2026 season rests squarely on the shoulders of Arch Manning. After recovering from foot surgery, Manning was recently cleared for summer workouts.
He is the ultimate offset to last year’s attrition. The coaching staff believes his ability to distribute to weapons like Ryan Wingo and Ryan Niblett will solve the stagnant stretches that plagued 2025.
In addition, to mitigate concerns, Sarkisian hit the portal aggressively, securing Laurence Seymore to shore up a hit-or-miss offensive line. On defense, Colin Simmons has evolved into a first-team All-SEC menace, giving Texas the pass rush it lacked in its 2025 losses.
So, with Muschamp looming in the wings and a schedule CBS Sports ranks as the toughest in the nation, the mandate is clear. Sarkisian has the roster, the quarterback, and the resources.
If he doesn’t deliver a deep playoff run in 2026, that $60.3 million buyout will be seen as a necessary cost of doing business to clear the way for the next era. At Texas, the slightest bit of blood is enough to trigger a feeding frenzy.
