Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian looks at his play sheet against Ohio State Buckeyes in the second quarter of the Cotton Bowl Classic during the College Football Playoff semifinal game at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas on January, 10, 2025. Kyle Robertson/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Steve Sarkisian Learned Important Lessons From Cotton Bowl Loss To Ohio State

Originally posted on Texas Longhorns on SI
By JD Andress | Last updated Aug 26, 2025 10:00 AM ET

For the Texas Longhorns, after being eliminated from the college football playoffs at the beginning of 2025 by eventual national champions the Ohio State Buckeyes, they had to wait seven agonizing months for their chance at revenge.

Now, as week one finally arrives for teams around the country, perhaps no one is more excited to show off what the off-season brought them than Steve Sarkisian and his team. The heartbreak was evident after the loss in January at the Cotton Bowl, but for the Longhorns, it taught them what to expect as the two teams match up in Columbus, Ohio.

Sarkisian shared the difference between the first matchup of 2025, where his team came up short, and now, understanding what they need to rectify to change the outcome at the beginning of this season.

Taking Advantages Of Your Chances

Adam Cairns / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Longhorns fell 28-14 at the hands of the Buckeyes to end their 2024 season. While there was disappointment echoed throughout the locker room as to how the season ended, for Sarkisian, it was a learning moment as he already began preparing for week one of the 2025 season.

"When two really good teams get together, that's really where you are trying to minimize those mistakes. Good teams capitalize on those mistakes, so we have to be very detail-oriented, minimize the self-inflicted wounds."

The Longhorns' head coach acknowledged that it was an issue when the two teams matched up at the beginning of the year. While his team drew only five penalties to the Buckeyes' nine, they failed to capitalize on the calls that went their way. Even times there weren't calls, such as the well-known 'no holding call' that changed a three-and-out to a 13-play, 88-yard touchdown to leave the Longhorns trailing in the game.

"To everyone's point, you have to score when you have opportunities to score against good teams."

Part of that process has been a two-year-long stretch for the Longhorns' red-zone offense. In 2023, they were just slightly over 50 percent in touchdowns in the red zone, and last season, they finished at 64 percent. That number could shift even higher with Arch Manning taking over the reins, as his rushing ability will give the Longhorns more freedom in play-calling in that area.

While the two teams are vastly different as they prepare to matchup in the highly anticipated week one showdown, Sarkisian feels more prepared than ever, confident in his players, and confident in rectifying the loss to end the 2024 season and start this one off on a good foot.

The Texas Longhorns will play the Ohio State Buckeyes in Columbus, Ohio, on Aug. 30th, at 11 a.m. CT.

This article first appeared on Texas Longhorns on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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