Longhorns $11 Million Coach Sark Faces Tough Odds In Championship Bid

DALLAS - No. 1 ranking? Gone.

Undefeated season? Kaput.

Arch Manning's Heisman hopes? Poof.

Bragging rights on OU? Vanished.

Margin for error? Still there. Barely.

The Texas Longhorns’ 27-24 loss to rival Oklahoma last weekend in the Cotton Bowl has re-routed expectations. But it doesn’t necessarily have to eliminate their desired ultimate destination.

Texas can still make the College Football Playoff and wind up in the National Championship Game in Las Vegas on January 25. But, starting with Saturday’s home game against the Florida Gators, they can’t afford another hiccup.

Now 4-1 after enduring the colossal, dramatic upset to the Sooners, the Longhorns have slipped to No. 7. One less, however, is not a death sentence. In fact, more than half (11) of college football’s last 20 champs have finished with one loss.

But a second defeat? Tough odds. Curtains.

In the 156-year history of the sport only three teams - Minnesota in 1960, LSU in 2007 and Ohio State in 2024 - have lifted the trophy with two losses.

I still believe if Texas and OU played 10 times, the Longhorns would win eight. But in this rivalry fluky stuff happens. A blocked punt for a touchdown. A Pick Six. A missed field goal. The works.

The stinging defeat should force the ’Horns to face reality:

*They’ve really played only one great quarter of football all season (the fourth against Ohio State).

*Arch isn’t close to Superman.

*They have to match their opponents’ intensity in every game.

There is going to be a natural emotional nosedive in Austin this week. Head coach Steve Sarkisian is making $11 million this season to make sure it doesn’t carry over into Saturday’s 11 a.m. against a reeling Florida coming off consecutive ugly losses by 28 points to Missouri and 19 - at home - to South Carolina.

The loss to OU didn’t wholly obliterate Texas’ season. Another defeat, however, would do the trick.