The Texas Longhorns survived. They held on for a 16-13 overtime win over the Kentucky Wildcats in a performance that left a lot to be desired on the offensive side of the ball. It was a mess at every spot on offense, from the blocking to the skill players, to Arch Manning, and even to the playcalling from Steve Sarkisian.
The Longhorns’ head coach didn’t shy away from the issue either, when speaking with the media, knowing what they have been calling hasn’t been working this season, and acknowledging that an adjustment might be needed to ensure success.
Is the fix for the struggling offense as easy as adjusting the playcalling, or is the issue a deeper-rooted problem that must be addressed first?
Oct 18, 2025; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning (16) looks to pass during the second quarter against the Kentucky Wildcats at Kroger Field. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images / Jordan Prather-Imagn Images
The Longhorns’ trip to Lexington was nearly a nightmare, needing overtime to escape with a win after finishing the game with only 179 yards of offense and eight first downs, both of which are the lowest amounts under Sarkisian. With a combination of mistakes, and a struggling offense, the Longhorns only heightened the problem with their own mistakes against the Wildcats.
“We have to get out of our own way offensively. The self-inflicted wounds,” Sarkisian said after the victory. “I am proud of the team tonight for winning, but we have a lot of specific areas we need to get to work on come Monday.”
With an offensive line that was unable to give Manning a clean pocket, allowing seven quarterback hurries and three sacks to the lowest-ranked SEC defensive front, they failed to establish a rhythm. That was compounded by their struggles to run the ball and Manning’s inaccurate throws in the passing game, which left many wondering what the plan was for the Longhorns.
“Clearly, I’m not calling enough stuff for our guys to feel good about what we’re doing,” Sarkisian told the media. “But at the end of the day, it’s like we can have high-scoring games, and I could air it out and lose. So if our style of game and our style of play is we’re going to play hard-nosed football, and we’re gonna play great on defense and great on special teams, we need to be more efficient on offense with the opportunities that we get.
“That’s what we need to do offensively. We’ve got to minimize the self-inflicted wounds and become more efficient. And we just weren’t efficient enough tonight.”
With another road trip on the horizon for the Longhorns and needing to win out to be included in the conversations for the college football playoffs, they are running out of time to correct their problems. Maybe, as Sarkisian said, simplifying it can help in the short term, but no playcalling can be effective if the offensive line continues to struggle as they have this season.
The Longhorns travel to Starkville to take on the Mississippi State Bulldogs on Oct. 25 at 3:15 p.m. CT