Call it impressive, morale-boosting, or whatever. Steve Sarkisian is calling it as he sees it. Following the 45-38 win over the Mississippi State Bulldogs, the head coach delivered a blunt message to Arch Manning and the Texas Longhorns about their recent showing.
It wasn’t always pretty, but Manning and the Longhorns walked out of Davis Wade Stadium in Starkville with a crucial SEC win. However, for Sarkisian there wasn’t any prettiness anywhere during the road victory. The head coach in Austin made that clear with a concise, yet firm message after Week 9 of the 2025 NCAA season.
“We can’t keep living like this. That’ll be addressed on Monday,” Sarkisian stated postgame, as reported by @InsideTexas on X (formerly Twitter).
Drama aside
While Sarkisian was very prudent with his postgame statement, he didn’t take anything away from the deserved celebration for the Longhorns in Starkville. Much can be done better by the Longhorns, but a win is a win, and in the SEC Texas will take them as they come.
Arch Manning, QB for the Texas Longhorns
“I think we got a mulligan because tonight was a culture win,” Sarkisian stated. “I said this to the team, I don’t know if I’ve ever been more proud of a group of guys. When they go up 17 in the fourth quarter, these guys literally didn’t blink.”
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Make or break
A win is a win. That’s a fact. Still, in college football some wins weigh more than others. Sometimes, certain losses are better regarded than wins. Sarkisian and Texas will experience just that, as they gear up for a crucial SEC showdown after squeaking by Miss. State.
On November 1, the Longhorns will return to Darrell K. Royal–Texas Memorial Stadium to host one of the hottest programs in college football: the No. 9 Vanderbilt Commodores. The burnt orange will be put to the test as the Horns vie for their second ranked win of the 2025 NCAA season.
Last year, Texas won four ranked matchups (excluding the College Football Playoff). To match that mark, the Longhorns must win their next three ranked games—Vanderbilt, Georgia, and Texas A&M. Most importantly, Manning, Sarkisian, and Texas must win out to clinch a postseason berth and possibly a ticket to the SEC Championship.
