After a promising start to the season, the Longhorns have dropped two straight games to SEC opponents. Those losses came in disappointing fashion as Steve Sarkisian's team collapsed in the second half. While a lot has gone wrong, Sarkisian highlighted one area when speaking with the media earlier this week.
When asked about the Longhorns
' play in critical situations, Sarkisian gave a blunt response."Really poor in critical situations of the game," Sarkisian said. "That's on us as coaches and players executing. I'm not pointing the finger at anybody. It's all areas involved."
Over the last two weeks, Texas has failed to make critical stops or put teams away. They have also turned the ball over and given opponents great field position as the game
winds down.
Sources: Texas is expected to give an up-tick in first-team quarterback reps to redshirt freshman KJ Lacey Jr. this week in practice. Arch Manning still projects as the Texas starter. The uptick in Lacey’s reps is a signal that Texas could replace Manning if he continues to… pic.twitter.com/OPOQQy0dcE
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) October 19, 2026
Because of the Longhorns' recent play, everything is on the table heading into this weekend's matchup with Ole Miss as they have dropped out of the top ten. Changes have already been on display in practice this week, as redshirt freshman quarterback KJ Lacey Jr. will reportedly get more first-team snaps. While Arch Manning is still projected to start, Sarkisian is giving Lacey more opportunities to prove himself.
For the Longhorns to get back on track, they will need to better with the game on the line. That includes Arch Manning, who has come under fire for his inability to protect the football. If he can fix that issue, then the Texas offense should be in good hands.
Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian says the biggest area of disappointment is that the Longhorns have been "really poor in critical situations of the game."
— Tyler Horka (@tbhorka) October 19, 2026
"That's on us as coaches and players executing. I'm not pointing the finger at anybody. It's all areas involved."
This weekend will be a good opportunity for the Longhorns to redeem themselves as Ole Miss is ranked seventh in the nation. A win over a top ten team would help Texas move closer to the top ten and boost their playoff resume. However, it will all come down to how this team performs in crucial moments and responds to their coaches' blunt, spot-on assessment of their recent play.
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This article originally appeared on Longhorns Wire: Texas coach Steve Sarkisian reveals where Longhorns struggle most
