Steve Sarkisian Drops Hilarious Four-Word Reaction to His EA Sports College Football 26 Character

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Matt De Lima | Last updated May 29, 2025 4:11 PM ET

To be immortalized as a character in a video game must be a special feeling.

EA Sports College Football 26 is scheduled for July 10, so many sneak peeks are being released in anticipation of its release. This will be the second edition of the game. The treasured series was discontinued from 2014 through 2023 and was reintroduced in 2024.

On Thursday, EA Sports released a reveal trailer for their upcoming release. Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian expressed some tongue-in-cheek frustration on social media because his character didn't quite look right to him.

The 51-year-old coach has been around for a long time, having coached in college since 2000, including several head coaching stints at Washington (2009-2013) and USC (2014-2015). As a result, his character, even if not perfect, has certainly matured significantly since he began his coaching career.

Sarkisian posted a screenshot of himself with a caption that read, "Polo with no shades?? ."

The screenshot shows Sarkisian with his Longhorns in the tunnel, but he did not have sunglasses on, which are a key part of his sideline look.

While Sarkisian is just having a bit of fun about his video game character, fans can't blame him for blowing off some steam. Expectations are sky-high for the Longhorns, especially because the SEC powerhouse will be breaking in quarterback Arch Manning, who is the nephew of Peyton and Eli Manning and the grandson of Archie Manning.

The young heir to the throne, i.e., the Manning namesake, must lead Texas, who are projected very high in early preseason rankings lists. ESPN has Texas ranked at No. 3, while CBS Sports has them at No. 2 on their list.

However, expectations are always high for the Longhorns. Despite not having won a national title since 2005, a rabid Texas fan base is eager for more after last season's 13-3 season, which saw the Longhorns reach the College Football Playoff semifinals before losing to eventual national champions the Ohio State Buckeyes.

Sarkisian has brought about better results in every season since joining Texas ahead of the 2021 season. The Longhorns have finished 5-7, 8-5, 12-2 and 13-3 in his four years with the school.

Texas begins its 2025 regular season in a huge matchup with revenge game potential against the Buckeyes on Aug. 30.

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

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