Kirby Lee/Imagn Images

Joel Klatt Makes Steve Sarkisian Admission Ahead of 2025 Season

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Grant Bricker | Last updated Jun 23, 2025 6:48 PM ET

Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian has brought the program back to a level where it competes for national titles.

Texas is still searching for its first national title in college football since 2005, but the Longhorns have reached the College Football Playoff semifinal in consecutive seasons.

On a recent episode of "The Joel Klatt Show," Joel Klatt shared his ranking of the Texas head coach. Klatt credited Sarkisian and placed the head coach inside the top five or six in the country.

Along with the CFP, Sarkisian led Texas to the SEC Championship Game in the Longhorns' first season in the conference.

"He's done a remarkable job," Klatt said. "But, now it's been back-to-back years in which they've lost in the national semifinal. So now he wants to take a step forward. They've recruited at a ridiculously high level. You know how I feel about Steve Sarkisian. He is one hell of a college football coach. He would easily be in my top five or six in the country, but now he's going against a guy that is now easily in the top two or three in the country, and that's Ryan Day."

Sarkisian has a chance to get revenge in the season opener against the Ohio State Buckeyes, the team that knocked him out of the CFP.

In this meeting, Texas will be led by Arch Manning under center, now that Quinn Ewers has entered the NFL.

Klatt has discussed how Manning's ability to run will allow the Longhorn offense to open up. However, Klatt does not think Manning is the best quarterback in the country heading into 2025, ranking Clemson Tigers star Cade Klubnik ahead of the Texas gunslinger.

Texas and Ohio State meet at "The Shoe" on August 30 at Noon ET on Fox.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: