Steve Sarkisian looks back on the biggest moments that stand out about this season
For the first time in program history, the Texas Longhorns have secured a spot in the College Football Playoff, set to make their CFP debut on New Year’s Day in the Sugar Bowl against Washington.
The Longhorns’ road to the playoffs was not easy and consisted of various season-defining moments to get them where they are now. With that in mind, Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian was asked to pinpoint one play from the season that defines his team after making their historic run.
“I don’t know if there’s a singular play,” Sarkisian said. “I would say the goal line stand against Kansas State because that took some real resolve. That took four plays in a row of different players making plays, it wasn’t about one player, it wasn’t about just one phenomenal play. It was about execution, it was about a variety of players doing their jobs really well.”
For most conference champions, it’s usually safe to say that if a handful of plays go the opposite way they wouldn’t make it to hoisting a title in December. And the Longhorns goal line stand in Week 10 could easily be defined as one of those moments.
In the team’s second straight week without starting quarterback Quinn Ewers in the lineup, the Longhorns found themselves heading into overtime tied at 30 points with the No. 23 ranked Wildcats.
Texas kicker Bert Auburn drained a 42-yard field goal to give the Longhorns the lead, but after the very first play of Kansas State’s overtime possession, Texas found themselves on their own six-yard line quickly.
“It was about supporting one another and picking each other up when Quinn is out that game, Maalik’s [Murphy] starting, we had been turning the ball over offensively, and out defense found a way to win that game at the end in four straight plays,” Sarkisian said. “Probably that sequence of plays is something that stands out to me because I think that’s what this team is made up of. So I probably lean into that sequence as much or more than anything.”
The Longhorns’ defense managed to keep K-State out of the end zone for four straight plays to secure the win at home and the rest is history.
Ewers would go on to rejoin the starting lineup the following week as Texas would run the table following their lone loss to rival Oklahoma this season, serving as the only blemish on their impressive resume that the CFP Selection Committee deemed worthy of a top-four ranking.
Texas will look to continue to rise to the occasion on December 1, as they face Washington at 8:45 p.m. ET in a playoff matchup airing on ESPN.