Longhorns News: Steve Sarkisian delivers vivid statement on growing frustration surrounding Arch Manning, Texas

Needless to say, a 3-2 record is far from how Arch Manning, Steve Sarkisian, and the Texas Longhorns envisioned themselves heading into the Red River Rivalry. However, that’s the hand that’s been dealt to them—or the spot Texas has put itself in the 2025 NCAA season.

Now, the Red River Rivalry is truly a do-or-die game for the Longhorns. It’s often said these type of games mean more than just one win in college football. In this case, Texas can attest to that. A loss would most surely wipe off their hopes of making the playoffs. Manning, Sarkisian, and the Horns have their backs against the wall, and the Oklahoma Sooners are determined to land the knockout punch.

Texas has had little time to turn the page after the deflating loss in Gainesville to the Florida Gators. For Sarkisian, the frustration boiling over around the team has become visible in recent practices. However, that isn’t necessarily a bad thing for the Longhorns. If anything, it can mean the players are far from giving up on the season.

“I definitely sense a level of frustration in the fact that we just haven’t put it all together yet and everybody wants to put it all together. Everybody’s working really hard,” Sarkisian stated ahead of the Red River Rivalry, via On3.

“It’s not about our habits and working hard. I think it’s playing with a sense of confidence, too. We can [do that]. You can feel that sense of urgency. You can feel that level of intensity in practice. I think regardless of how we are playing, that’s needed when you go into this game.“

Bragging rights

Although Texas holds the upper hand over Oklahoma in the all-time head-to-head record (64-51-5), the Sooners have gotten the better of the Longhorns in the 21st century.

Since 2000, ‘Boomer Sooner’ has echoed louder than the rowdy ‘Horns Up’ fans, as Oklahoma has won 16 times, while Texas has prevailed in the other nine Red River Rivalry matchups. To add insult to injury, the Sooners defeated the Longhorns in the 2018 Big 12 Championship—the only conference title game between the two programs in college football history.

Can’t be apart for too long

While the victor can change every year, one thing remains the same when it comes to the Red River Rivalry at the Cotton Bowl. Just like one can never bathe in the same river twice, neither program can walk away from this matchup unchanged. For better or worse, this showdown is always circled in red on the calendar, and it’s a turning point in both schools’ seasons—year in and year out.

Half the attendees at the sold-out, 92,100-seat stadium walk out heartbroken, while the other half is in pure elation. However, deep down, every soul at the State Fair of Texas knows the battle may be won, but the war is far from over. In fact, it never will. Next season, they’ll be ready to do it all over again.

No backing down

The Longhorns have put themselves in a very compromising position in the 2025 NCAA season. Losing back-to-back SEC games away from The Forty Acres could signal a very concerning trend for the program in Austin.

“I think in particular for us of where we’re at in this stage of the season, [that urgency] is needed as well,” Sarkisian concluded. “I credit the coaches for shaping the mindset of the team at their particular position groups. All encompassing, there’s a common thread of let’s go play our brand and our style of football. Let’s put our best foot forward, and see if it’s good enough.“

Texas can’t afford another misstep when it walks into the Cotton Bowl in Dallas during the State Fair of Texas. It’s supposed to be a weekend of jubilation in the Lone Star State—Manning and company plan to keep it that way. For that to happen, the Longhorns must take care of the intruding Sooners arriving from the Land of the Red Dirt.