'Take the Other 135 and Have Them Go Play at Ohio State and The Swamp': Steve Sarkisian Responds After Texas Falls from Rankings

Originally posted on Gridiron Heroics
By Ajayi Olamilekan | Last updated Oct 6, 2025 7:19 PM ET

Steve Sarkisian Texas Longhorns head coach faced questions about his team’s stunning fall from grace after Saturday’s 29-21 loss at Florida dropped them completely out of the AP Top 25 for the first time since November 2022.

Texas entered the season ranked as No. 1 in the preseason AP Poll, Just six weeks into the 2025 campaign, those championship aspirations have met the reality. The Longhorns sit at 3-2, with their path forward suddenly uncertain.

When pressed about his team’s struggles following consecutive road losses, the coach was didn’t mince words. His response carried the weight of someone who understands the gauntlet his team has faced.

“I mean, take the other how many teams are there in college football, 136? Take the other 135 and have them go play at Ohio State and at The Swamp. See how they do,” Sarkisian told reporters.

Texas football coach Steve Sarkisian was asked about his team’s struggles against P4 teams and said, “I mean, how many teams are there in college football? 136? Take the other 135 and have them go play at Ohio State and at The Swamp, see how they do.” pic.twitter.com/ghpcMFcYwB

— Anwar Richardson (@AnwarRichardson) October 6, 2025

The Longhorns opened the season at Ohio State, in the game, they fell 14-7. Then came Saturday’s trip to Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, where Florida’s defense overwhelmed Texas’s offensive line throughout the afternoon.

The Reality Check Texas Needed, But Nobody Wanted to Acknowledge

Texas’s offensive line, once considered a strength, has been consistently beaten at the point of attack in both losses. The protection issues have cascaded through the offense, limiting the explosive plays that defines last season’s success.

The Longhorns has not been unranked this late in a season since the program’s darkest recent days. They now face Oklahoma this Saturday in Dallas, where the Red River rivalry takes on added significance.

Conference play continues with games against ranked opponents, and the margin for error has already been exhausted. Sarkisian knows this. His comments about the difficulty of playing at premier venues weren’t excuses.

The question now becomes whether Texas can respond to adversity the way championship programs must. Sarkisian will be further tested as the Longhorns attempt to climb back from the outside looking in at the national conversation they expected to dominate.

This article first appeared on Gridiron Heroics and was syndicated with permission.

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