Legendary football philosopher Bill\u00a0Parcells once said, \u201cYou are what your record says you are.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Texas Longhorns<\/a>\u00a0are 5-2 and one loss away from probable College Football Playoff expulsion.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Texas head football coach Steve\u00a0Sarkisian looks on during a game against Kentucky on Oct. 18, 2025, at Kroger Field in Lexington.<\/p>\n Icon Sportswire\/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images<\/p>\n MORE\u00a0CEDDY; Why Texas is a\u00a0CFP long shot\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n As they enter a enter a critical phase of his fifth season,\u00a0Steve Sarkisian<\/a> and his staff should get credit for staying the course even though it\u2019s starting to become evident this team isn\u2019t what many of us believed it would be in the preseason.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n The record isn\u2019t ideal, but the expectations remain over the roof in Longhorn Nation with\u00a0Sarkisian and quarterback Arch Manning<\/a> front and center. Sarkisian loves that the base is hungry for another natty and that\u2019s a good thing since the Horns have climbed from 5-7 in 2021 to consecutive national semifinal appearances.<\/p>\n MORE HORNS: Five things to know about Mississippi State<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cWhen that becomes the standard, then we all hold ourselves to that standard,\u201d Sarkisian said Monday. \u201cWe\u2019re going on the road for the fourth straight week. We\u2019re getting on an airplane to go play a game, in a hotel that\u2019s not our own and that\u2019s pretty challenging too, not only for young people but the coaches and everybody involved.\u201d<\/p>\n Sark has raised the bar here and it\u2019s a reason there\u2019s panic in large parts of the fan base following an SEC road win. The prevailing thought coming out of Saturday\u2019s\u00a016-13 overtime escape<\/a> at Kentucky is that the Horns are guilty of playing down to the competition.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n It\u2019s more accurate to say the Longhorns are a middle-of-the pack SEC team that can lose to anybody in this league. Upsets happen on a weekly, but we\u2019ve arrived at the point where the truth is right in front of us.<\/p>\n Texas beats Kentucky nine times out of 10, but the Horns aren\u2019t miles better. Some are judging this team based on the program\u2019s tradition and what has happened over the last two seasons instead of looking at who it is now. If Texas loses Saturday at Mississippi State, it will still be an upset, but not a complete shock because the Horns haven\u2019t shown an ability to steamroll SEC competition over the first three games. And it\u2019s a small sample size, but Arch has struggled in true road games.<\/p>\n Worse yet, they fell short in marquee road games against Ohio State and Florida, albeit at the Horseshoe and Swamp, two of the harshest road environments in the country.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Texas (5-2, 2-1)\u00a0is a solid club, but the Horns aren\u2019t special. Like the Big Tuna said, you are what your record says you are.<\/p>\n Texas quarterback Arch Manning (16) and offensive lineman Brandon Baker after a win against Kentucky on Oct. 18, 2025, at\u00a0Kroger Field in Lexington.<\/p>\n Icon Sportswire\/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images<\/p>\n Did Steve Sarkisian miss his best chance for a natty?<\/p>\n Some of you read in this space that the 2024 team was\u00a0Sark\u2019s best chance to win a national championship because he had experienced, talented playmakers all over the place. The loss to Ohio State after being 1 yard from tying it up late in the fourth quarter could go down as the one that got away when his final story is written.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Quarterback Quinn Ewers wasn\u2019t Colt McCoy, but he was good enough to get the program to the doorstep of an appearance in the national title game in consecutive seasons and he made his bones with some clutch road performances in wins over Alabama and Michigan.<\/p>\n Plus he had All-Americans in his locker room.<\/p>\n Dec 21, 2024; Austin, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning (16) and Quinn Ewers (3) against the Clemson Tigers during the CFP National playoff first round at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium.<\/p>\n Mark J. Rebilas\/Imagn Images<\/p>\n The 2025 team isn\u2019t an offensive juggernaut.\u00a0Playmakers like Matthew Golden, Gunnar Helm, Jaydon Blue and left tackle Kelvin Banks Jr. \u2014 a human wall who helped keep Ewers upright for three years \u2014 are in the pros and we\u2019re supposed to believe the Horns were going to cut and paste last season\u2019s success and keep it moving with a first-year starter at quarterback?<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n And don\u2019t forget the defensive stars that have departed:\u00a0Jahdae Barron, Andrew Mukuba, Barryn Sorrell, Vernon Broughton and Alfred Collins aren\u2019t walking into that locker room anytime soon.<\/p>\n Yes, this writer was part of the preseason hype machine that had the Horns accomplishing great things, though I fell short of anointing Manning as a preseason Heisman pick.<\/p>\n Reality can be a real kick in the Levi\u2019s, but now is the time to trust our eyes.<\/p>\n The Horns are mediocre on offense, exceptional on defense and becoming a force on special teams thanks to return man Ryan\u00a0Niblett. That\u2019s the formula for a good eight- or nine-win team, but the lack of game-breakers on offense makes Texas a target for a team like 8\u00bd-point underdog Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Staying on an even keel helps in a tough road game and with the cowbells clanging, the Horns will need the same steely resolve that got them out of Northern Kentucky\u00a0with a win.<\/p>\n Arch Manning can still be great, but probably not this year<\/p>\n Until Manning becomes a dog capable of putting the team on his back, the Horns will always be a question mark.<\/p>\n I still believe he will be much\u00a0better next season as these struggles make it unnecessary to consider leaving for the NFL draft.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Sarkisian hasn\u2019t developed Manning as fully as any of us expected in two-plus seasons and now the Horns have been reduced to a ball-control attack, a reality that should scare the spit out of fans given the offenses the Horns are about to face over these next five games.<\/p>\n The days of 45-10 Big 12 conference wins are in the past. In this league, a 23-6 win is welcomed, but there will come a day when the Horns face an opponent capable of lighting it up and only then will we fully know if they can make some real noise in the SEC race.<\/p>\n If we were sitting down for an adult beverage \u2014 and I enjoyed several conversations with Longhorn fans in Kentucky \u2014 my advice would be to just enjoy the season and be thankful the program is relevant again.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n The rest will take care of itself.<\/p>\n Follow the American-Statesman on\u00a0Facebook<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0X<\/a>\u00a0for more. Your subscription makes work like this possible. Access\u00a0all of our best content<\/a>\u00a0with\u00a0this tremendous offer<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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Mississippi State that will take the field believing it can make the Longhorns the lead highlight on their own offseason hype video.<\/p>\n