The Longhorns’ borderline 34-31 victory against Vanderbilt is one for the history books. But even with 4 home wins on Steve Sarkisian’s resume, the Texas HC doesn’t really look satisfied. The frustration boiled down to the officiating getting in the way of his team’s rhythm. In a game that carried massive SEC and playoff implications, every missed call felt like a dagger.

Now, Sark’s team was already navigating key injury woes like the absence of star safety Michael Taaffe and the uncertainty around Arch Manning’s concussion. So the last thing they needed was blown calls messing with momentum. “Steve Sarkisian said he’ll turn in Vanderbilt’s late two-point conversion,” Longhorns reporter Danny Davis writes on X. “Emmett Mosley V’s non-touchdown catch in the fourth quarter, and that 3rd-and-2 false start on Brandon Baker to the league office.” The coach made it clear he’s not one to complain lightly, but insisted Texas would send in clips to the conference.

“There are some things there that we’re going to want to get answers to,” Steve Sarkisian said post-game. “Which we’ll turn in and figure out why that occurred.” Officiating issues in college football games this season have been a major headache.

One infamous example was the Auburn vs. Oklahoma game, where a fake timeout led to an unpenalized touchdown, sparking outrage. Coaches and analysts openly criticize the lack of transparency and accountability. Now it’s Steve Sarkisian carrying the baton for it.

The first issue was a controversial 2-point conversion for the Vandy. So what happened? Diego Pavia hits Eli Stowers for a 67-yard touchdown. Vanderbilt converts the 2-point conversion to cut the lead to 34-24 with 3:54 left in the game. The call on the field stood because the video review was deemed inconclusive, a decision some fans and commentators found questionable. Then came Emmett Mosley V’s non-touchdown catch in the fourth quarter.

After that call, Texas set up for a 51-yard field goal from Mason Shipley. But then he missed it just a few inches wide right. Then, to wrap up the third quarter, Arch Manning hit Emmett Mosley V for a 6-yard touchdown to stretch Texas’ lead to 31-20. Lastly, it was the 3rd-and-2 false start on Brandon Baker that was called at a critical juncture. Texas lineman Brandon Baker jumped early, drawing a 5-yard penalty and killing the play that pushed them back to 3rd and 7.

Then on the 4th and 6, it happened again. It was another false start on Baker, backing Texas up another 5 yards before they could even snap the ball. These were some of the moments during the very end of the game that stopped the Longhorns from scoring more points. “I wish they had finished better. But that’s okay, it gives me something to rip their ass about,” Steve Sarkisian said in reference to Vanderbilt coming back from 34-10 to 34-31.

Let’s hold on to the O-line for three more games

Steve Sarkisian found a newfound confidence after the Texas win against the top-10 Vanderbilt. The Longhorns’ offensive woes finally took a turn as Texas racked up 428 total yards on the ground. But amid this performance, Steve Sarkisian didn’t fall behind in narrating a candid message to Texas’s last three rivals in the coming weeks: Georgia, Texas A&M, and Arkansas.

“Ultimately, with games against Georgia, Arkansas, and Texas A&M, the path for the Longhorns is exceptionally difficult,” Sark said. “If they win out, it would be difficult to impossible to keep them out. If they win two of three, they’re firmly on bubble watch.” The result of these games will also determine if Steve Sarkisian will stay back at Austin, or the rumors of him stepping into the NFL will actually become true. But the good news is the Texas offense finally found its groove.

Arch Manning’s return from a concussion was the real storyline. Coming off injury doubts, the 21-year-old looked sharp and confident, completing 25 of 33 passes for three touchdowns without throwing an interception. Now that’s a major improvement on Manning’s part. This performance gave the Longhorns a steady hand on offense and kept their College Football Playoff hopes alive.