Steve Sarkisian Faces Title-or-Bust Pressure at Texas

Steve Sarkisian has dragged Texas football back into the national spotlight. Now comes the uncomfortable part ... proving the Longhorns can finish the job.

ESPN ranked Sarkisian as the No. 6 college football coach entering the 2026 season, one spot lower than last year.

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That placement reflects both the remarkable rebuild he’s engineered in Austin and the growing belief that Texas should have more hardware to show for it.

Sarkisian owns a 48-20 record with the Longhorns and has produced three consecutive seasons with at least 10 victories.

Before his arrival, Texas had reached that benchmark only once from 2010 through 2022.

That’s not a minor turnaround. It’s a resurrection.

Texas also recorded three victories over AP top-10 opponents in 2025, matching the most in a single season in program history during the poll era.

Sarkisian has restored elite quarterback play, developed Quinn Ewers and Arch Manning, and guided the Longhorns to consecutive College Football Playoff semifinal appearances in 2023 and 2024.

Still, the resume has a glaring empty space.

Texas hasn’t won the national championship under Sarkisian, and that missing trophy has become the dividing line between those who view him as an elite coach and those who believe he’s still underachieving with one of the richest programs in the sport.

One ESPN voter placed Sarkisian fifth, praising his ability to rebuild a national brand that had become painfully irrelevant.

Another left him outside the top 10 entirely, arguing that coaches elsewhere have accomplished more with fewer resources.

That criticism isn’t completely unfair.

Sarkisian has held marquee jobs at USC and Texas but owns only two career top-10 finishes.

At a program with Texas’ recruiting reach, NIL power, facilities and expectations, playoff appearances are no longer enough to earn universal praise.

The 2026 season changes the conversation.

Arch Manning gives Texas a potential top NFL Draft pick at quarterback, while the roster appears capable of making another deep postseason run.

Sarkisian has the talent, financial backing and program stability required to win it all.

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No more rebuilding excuses. No more moral victories.

Sarkisian has already made Texas relevant again. Winning a national championship is the only remaining step—and it’s the one that will determine how he’s truly remembered.

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