A win is a win—or so they say. For Arch Manning and the Texas Longhorns, there was little to celebrate after their 27–10 victory over the UTEP Miners. The fans at Darrell K Royal–Texas Memorial Stadium made their discontent clear, booing the stalling offense off the field. Far from condemning the burnt orange faithful, Steve Sarkisian offered an honest message for his players and the school.
It was an ugly win to say the least. Of course, Texas would much rather win in such fashion than lose playing great in the 2025 NCAA season. Still, much needs to change if the Longhorns are serious about competing for college football’s national title.
So far, the product on the gridiron has been a complete letdown for Texas. Manning has struggled consistently, and what was once seen as unwavering confidence now looks shaky—at best. Therefore, it wasn’t surprising to hear the home crowd jeer its players after deflating drives against a supposedly inferior opponent like the Miners.
Now, Sarkisian addressed the scenes that unfolded at The Forty Acres last Saturday. Rather than turning on the students and fans in Austin, Sarkisian issued a straightforward reminder to Manning and the Longhorns.
“We’ve set a standard around here of the way we play football, and there’s an expectation from our fans about the way we play football. And, at times, we didn’t play that way this weekend,” Sarkisian commented, via On3. “I think, at the end of the day, they’re spending money, they’re coming to games, they’re sitting in the heat — they want to make sure we give them a reason to be there.“
Don’t count them out
While Sarkisian understands where the fans’ frustration comes from, he reminded the rest of the university that the team wants to put on a good performance just as much as them.
“Our fans offer so much support to us that, clearly, if they were booing about the way we were playing just imagine how we were feeling about the way we were playing at some of that juncture in the first half. So, understandable,” Sarkisian added. “But, again, don’t give up on us too quick. I think we got a pretty good team.”
Now prove it
Texas will take on the Sam Houston Bearkats on Saturday night at home. It’s as good an opportunity as Manning and the Horns will get to fire on all cylinders and head into the SEC schedule in rhythm. For the Longhorns, it’s imperative to deliver a dominant showing against a college football program that should provide little resistance.