It was a weekend of chaos for college football, but no collapse echoed quite as loud as Texas’. The trigger point? The Longhorns, once sitting high as the preseason No. 1 in the AP Top 25, got stunned by unranked Florida(2-3) in a 29–21 upset. That defeat rattled the entire AP Poll. Following that, suddenly, Arch Manning’s Heisman hype train has hit the brakes, and Steve Sarkisian’s championship roadmap looks uncertain. What was supposed to be Texas’ statement season has turned into a scramble for answers.

On October 5th, Texas insider David Eckert dropped some eye-opening stats about the Longhorns. Fans of the program will not enjoy learning about these. Texas has zero sacks in its two games against Power Conference opponents. That’s a jaw-dropper for a team that opened the season ranked No. 1 in defensive stop rate. Even run defense is suffering as after the Gators loss, Steve Sarkisian didn’t sugarcoat it. He admitted the run defense fell flat, and even he’s not sure why. “We got out of our gaps a few times,” stated Sark. “Didn’t get off as many blocks as I’m accustomed to seeing.” In short, the defense that once looked like a brick wall is suddenly springing leaks. And then came their offensive collapse.

Texas’ ground game barely exists, and it’s dragging the passing attack down with it. According to Eckert, Texas has only hit four runs of 20+ yards this season, and not a single one came from a RB. Against Florida, the Longhorns managed a pitiful 52 yards on 26 carries, where Manning carried most of the load with 37 yards, while the RBs combined for a paltry 11 yards. So now, the potential of the Longhorns’ RB trio, Quintrevion Wisner, Christian Clark, and Ryan Niblett, is under serious question. Someone in the backfield, likely a healthy Wisner, will need to take charge. Now, while talent may solve some issues, what about penalties?

Texas’ penalty problems are piling up, and it’s starting to cost them. According to Eckert, they committed 20 more penalties than their opponents. Against San Jose State, Texas racked up 12 penalties for 115 yards, their biggest penalty haul since the 41-31 loss to Oklahoma State in 2022. Now, the Longhorns have posted eight double-digit penalty games under Steve Sarkisian. That averages 6.5 penalties for 53 YPG. So if they don’t tighten up, mistakes like this could put winnable games out of reach.

To add insult to injury, the Longhorns have slipped out of the AP Top 25 entirely after Week 7 rankings. Now, with the Oklahoma showdown on the horizon, concerns are growing. Steve Sarkisian has made his mission for the week crystal clear.

Steve Sarkisian’s goal for the Oklahoma game

The Florida setback is now in the past. Texas can’t afford to linger on it. Against Oklahoma, Sarkisian knows every mistake will be magnified. “Obviously, got a big, pivotal game next week against a rival opponent in Oklahoma, very good football team. We need to get ourselves ready to play and focus on next week,” said Sarkisian. While the Longhorns sit at 3-2, every game is now a chance to keep their title hopes alive. And that’s why Sark is leaning on culture and focus to turn the season around.

“I think this is where you find out about the culture that you have. We’ve gotta get tighter than we’ve ever been, and we’re gonna have to quiet the noise,” he said. It’s time to turn those motivational slogans into measurable actions on the field. Because Texas has seen inconsistent play since the season opener.

The season isn’t over. More importantly, Sarkisian knows his team must overcome injuries and shaky performances to keep their title hopes alive. He needs to win against the Sooners or he might find himself nearing the hot seat.