AUSTIN, Texas — Unlike last year when Texas coach Steve Sarkisian whined about his non-conference schedule, his main complaint this year will be his conference schedule.
Texas is good enough to win a national title this season, and it may not get a chance for the second consecutive year because of Florida. Or, just blame the SEC.
Or, the Longhorns can always blame themselves.
Or, maybe they can just blame it on AI, and “Bevo Lab.”
On Saturday night in Austin, No. 19 Texas showed again why it can be the best team in the country by defeating No. 7 Ole Miss 34-27. It was a perfect weather evening as a crowd of 104,306 packed Darrell K Royal – Texas Memorial Stadium for what was developing into a comfy, head-to-Sixth Street-early blowout.
Instead, Texas again turned a double-digit lead into an unnecessarily exciting evening, but at least this time Sarkisian’s team didn’t flip a win into a loss. After losing consecutive non-road games by three points both times, on Saturday night UT blew a 24-3 halftime lead to turn it a fourth-quarter tie.
Ole Miss never led, but by evening’s end the Rebels recovered an onside kick with 90 seconds remaining that gave it a chance to win the game with a pass into the end zone for a Hail Mary that was intercepted.
No UT fan should translate a night of survival as a loss. The four quarters against Ole Miss embodied all things 2026 Texas in one unintentionally suspenseful evening, and it bought Sarkisian, and quarterback Arch Manning, a good week.
The hardest part about this Texas team is that it’s all there to win a national title; it has wins over No. 1 and No. 7, but with two losses already in the SEC, the only realistic path to a title is perfect, and nothing about Texas this season has been that.
“It’s about us,” Sarkisian said after the game. “We were not perfect tonight. We had an opportunity to be closer to be perfect. There are things in the game we need to fix. I’m proud of the team, [but] there is even better [version] out there for us. There’s going to need to be better from us.”
Texas’ identity issues continue with a twist
Texas’ first half against Ole Miss was its best half of the season against a Power Four team. Manning got the ball out of his hands quickly on slant patterns to his receivers, and for one half he was the best quarterback on the field.
Texas’ only real “sin” was the walk-in, perfect touchdown pass that wide receiver Cam Coleman dropped.
For the first 30 minutes, Manning outplayed Ole Miss QB Trinidad Chambliss, who entering the game was the best quarterback in the nation.
“I had a chip on my shoulder all week,” Manning said after the game. “You know, I’ve been hyped up all my life, I think I like being disregarded, and counted out.”
Manning’s statement proves, for the billionth time, that all players and coaches read and hear what is said about them. In the last two weeks, most of the chatter about Manning is that he’s not good, and should transfer after the season.
In the first half, UT’s offense was good, and the defense, which did not have defensive end Colin Simmons because of injury, didn’t let Chambliss, or running back Kewan Lacy, do much of anything.
Ole Miss’ three first-half points were its fewest in a half since 2023.
For one half, Texas played like the best team in the nation, and its 24-3 lead was not a fluke. Neither was blowing it.
The other Texas showed up (but it didn’t cost them)
For the third straight game Texas lost a double-digit lead; it led Oklahoma by 10 and lost. It led Florida 17-3 in the second quarter, and lost.
When Ole Miss sacked Manning early in the second half and recovered his fumble in the end zone for a touchdown, there was a run on antacids at the concession stands.
“We got the whole trifecta in the play,” Sarkisian said, “and momentum. You let them hang around they are going to start to make plays.”
Ole Miss scored two more touchdowns, and whatever momentum Texas had was replaced by that familiar sickening feeling. How can a team this good do this again?
UT eventually got its stuff together, but not on Manning’s arm. Texas ran for 212 yards, and it all but put the game away on the ground until Ole Miss assembled an evening-ending combination of plays that led to a Hail Mary attempt to potentially win it.
Texas committed 14 penalties for 134 yards, lost three turnovers and its special teams continues to range from exciting to fire-the-coach-now bad.
“It’s a dangerous way to live,” Sarkisian said of the team’s penalties and turnovers.
UT has five games remaining, three on the road, and other than its game at LSU on Nov. 14, it will be favored to win them all. The Longhorns are good enough to win out.
Everything about Texas was available to see against Ole Miss. The talent. The production. The players. The mistakes. The maddening miscues. The bizarre Manning interceptions.
Sarkisian, Manning and the rest are good enough to win the national title, but it won’t be the non-conference schedule that gets them in 2026. It will be the conference schedule, and their Bevo Lab can’t help them there.