AUSTIN – On the edge of the staff’s fifth season, the hopes in Austin are that the Longhorns will finally get over the hump of losing the big games in 2025.

After a developmental first season, Steve Sarkisian and Texas made an appearance in the Alamo Bowl against Washington in 2022, when the Horns lost to the Huskies 27-20.

A year later, Texas met the Huskies in a postseason scenario again, but this time in the Sugar Bowl of the College Football Playoff Semifinals. It was a heartbreaking loss as they went into the game favored to win and take on the Michigan Wolverines in the championship game.

It was then during the 2024 season that the Longhorns made the first 12-team College Football Playoff, beating No. 13 Clemson and No. 10 Arizona State in two overtimes, but coming up short to the Ohio State Buckeyes 28-14 in the semifinals.

After securing a No. 1 recruiting class for 2025 with a talented roster returning, there are high expectations for success soon at the University of Texas. However, Steve Sarkisian will have to ensure that Texas follows two major steps if he wants to get over the hump.

Consistent QB play

As good and talented as Quinn Ewers was in his career at Texas, consistency was an issue throughout his time with the Longhorns, and it has prevented success in key games.

Ewers’ accuracy was at times amazing, but questionable at others. There were too many times throughout the 2024 season that his performance was simply inconsistent, and it had nothing to do with the game plan or the teams he was facing.

To put it in perspective, Ewers had five games where he threw for over 280 yards, but he also had six other games in which he threw for 220 yards or less.

It may be fair to suggest that the passing game may not have been needed as much in those scenarios, but the inconsistency also translated to completion percentage as well.

Throughout the 2025 season, his percentage rate fluctuated drastically. In 2024, there were five instances in which Ewers completed 70% or more of his passes. 

However, on the other side of that, there were six instances in which he couldn’t complete more than 65%, with half of those performances not even reaching 60%.

In the three games in which he was unable to reach 60%, the Longhorns lost. The poor performances also consisted of attempting 39 passes or more.

Ewers finished the season No. 14 in terms of passing yards and tied No. 2 for most interceptions throughout the season with 12, after he only had four games without one.

This inconsistency at the QB position is a major part of what led to the unforeseen success of the Texas Longhorns last season. Sarkisian will need to find more consistent play with Arch Manning at the helm next season if the Longhorns want another championship under their belt.

No folding under pressure

It sounds simple to do, but Texas has struggled with folding under pressure in recent history. Although offense and defense as a whole may not have had terrible performances, it is the small, yet impactful, mistakes that are made in the big games that hold the Horns back.

Going back to 2023, when the Longhorns faced the Huskies for the second time, it was a very winnable game. Texas and Washington went into halftime 21-21, but a third-quarter surge with little fight-back from the Longhorns allowed the Huskies to take a 31-21 lead.

Then, as Texas went down by 13 in the fourth, the Longhorns fought back offensively, but the defense was nowhere to be found. Then, as the game neared its end with 1:09 left, Sarkisian made the decision to kick a field goal as the Horns were down by 9.

It was a moment of weakness, an inability to show up when it mattered. The Longhorns were incapable of stopping the Washington offense when it mattered, and took a step back offensively in the second half.

When the Longhorns faced Arizona State in the quarterfinals of the College Football Playoffs this past season, Texas took a 24-8 lead in the fourth quarter. But, an offensive showing by the Sun Devils late allowed them to even it up, eventually leading to two overtimes.

Texas emerged successful in that game, but when it came to a 21-14 deficit and the Longhorns were on the goal line ready to tie it up against Ohio State in the semifinals, Texas lost it.

Offensive lineman Cam Williams barely managed to get a hand on Ohio State’s Jack Sawyer, leading to a strip sack that was recovered and ran all the way back for a touchdown. This unblocked rusher led to a 28-14 loss for Texas, ending their postseason run.

The loss might have stung more than any other, yet another significant game that Texas was entirely capable of winning, but didn’t. 

There is also a need for recognition that the Longhorns started strong, beating Michigan, Oklahoma, and earning the No. 1 ranking, only to struggle to score in a 30-15 home loss to a No. 5-ranked Georgia.

Whether it has been the nerves, excitement, or just simply being unprepared, Sarkisian needs to find the fix. Texas has not been facing superior teams; these have all been games that Texas has been capable of winning, but they didn’t.

Lack of production, consistency, and the ability to prove themselves in the moments that matter have all played a role in Texas’s struggle to win it all.

In the 2025 season, Sarkisian and staff will need to address the QB inconsistency and the inability to show up in the big moment if the Longhorns truly want to get over the hump.