![\"Texas](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/texas-state-v-texas-austin-texas-september-05-head-coach-steve.jpg\")
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AUSTIN, TEXAS – SEPTEMBER 05: Head coach Steve Sarkisian of the Texas Longhorns reacts in the first half against the Texas State Bobcats at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on September 05, 2026 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n
The Texas Longhorns took a major blow to their College Football Playoff standing on Saturday, losing to the unranked Oklahoma Sooners in a game that has some calling for a change at the top.<\/p>\n
Head coach Steve Sarkisian faces criticism for his approach to the game, with Texas struggling on both sides of the ball. Some noted Sarkisian\u2019s history of struggles in big moments, suggesting the team could make a change.<\/p>\n
Steve Sarkisian Urged to Give Up Play-Calling After Loss<\/p>\n
While many fans acknowledged it would not be feasible for Texas to part ways with Sarkisian \u2014 they would owe him a massive $55 million buyout this year \u2014 some suggested the team could modify his duties.<\/p>\n
\u201cA blocked point for a TD. A big missed FG,\u201d one fan noted in a post on X<\/a>. \u201cSpecial teams bite Sarkisian & Texas in another big game. Will this be the loss that ultimately makes Sark give up play calling & focus on all the details? It\u2019s virtually impossible to be a play-caller & lead a big time CFB program.\u201d<\/p>\n Reporter Jeff Beachum noted that Sarkisian made a series of bad calls that led to the 27-24 loss to the Sooners.<\/p>\n \u201cYou had 1st and goal with a chance to go up 14 at half. You settle for a FG,\u201d Beachum wrote in a post on X<\/a>. \u201cYou had the ball starting the second half, up 10, with a chance to put the game away. You punt FOUR straight times. 3\/14 on 3rd down. 8 punts. At what point does Steve Sarkisian look in the mirror and realize he\u2019s the one holding this team back.\u201d<\/p>\n Analysts Lament Texas Loss<\/p>\n Reporter CJ Vogel put Saturday\u2019s loss into context, saying it might be the worst of Sarkisian\u2019s tenure as head coach.<\/p>\n \u201cMay appear to be a knee-jerk reaction, but that was the worst loss Texas has suffered under Sarkisian,\u201d Vogel shared in a post on X<\/a>. \u201cAn undermanned, undertalented Oklahoma team just won a game they had no business winning because Texas could not get out of their own way for 60 straight minutes. Blocked punt for a TD, pick-six, INT negated to penalty, an INT throw under 0:30 left. Just abysmally executed and coached the entire way through.\u201d<\/p>\n \n\t\t\tNathan Dougherty<\/a> is a sports reporter covering the NFL for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Buffalo Bills, Detroit Lions and Miami Dolphins. Previously he wrote for the Rochester Business Journal and served as the assistant editor of athletic trade magazines Coaching Management, Athletic Management and Training & Conditioning. He is based out of Rochester, New York, and loves everything football. More about Nathan Dougherty<\/a>\t\t<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Getty AUSTIN, TEXAS – SEPTEMBER 05: Head coach Steve Sarkisian of the Texas Longhorns reacts in the first…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":462604,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[132,134,133],"class_list":["post-462603","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-austin","tag-austin","tag-austin-headlines","tag-austin-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/462603","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=462603"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/462603\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/462604"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=462603"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=462603"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=462603"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}