Texas reaches new low for first time since Charlie Strong era
The wheels have fallen off, the horns are down and the first chapter of the Steven Sarkisian era at Texas has solidified its spot in program history — for all the wrong reasons.
Just one year ago, Texas fired former head coach Tom Herman after just four seasons at the helm; Herman amassed a 32-18 record with the Longhorns, finishing each season with a winning record and claiming four consecutive bowl-game victories. But it wasn’t enough by Texas’ standards, so the university paid both Herman’s $15 million buyout and his assistants’ $9 million buyout just to hire Sarkisian, under whom Texas reached a low.
After Saturday’s 31-23 loss to West Virginia, the Texas Longhorns suffered their sixth consecutive loss, a streak that came right after a promising 4-1 start to the season. Texas fell to 4-7 with the loss and has just one game remaining against Kansas State in Sarkisian’s rookie season.
The worst part: Texas spoiled its hopes of going bowling on Saturday, as the loss officially eliminated the Longhorns from bowl-game contention and clinched a losing record for the 2021 season. Neither have happened for Texas since 2016, the Charlie Strong era, and Sarkisian managed to do it in his first year at the helm.
Texas’ losing streak began with three-straight double-digit blown leads; first, Texas surrendered a tremendous lead to Oklahoma, as Caleb Williams emerged from the bench and stole the Red River Showdown from the Longhorns’ grasp. Then, similar situations ensued against Oklahoma State and Baylor. But even when Texas’ schedule eased up — Iowa State, Kansas and West Virginia all presented Big 12 matchups that were far from a ranked opponent — the Longhorns couldn’t get it done.
Texas was dominated, 30-7, by Iowa State on the road, after which Bo Davis went on a profanity-ridden tirade against his players. Then, Texas lost the unthinkable, a 57-56 defeat to Kansas, a program that had never once won in Austin in program history, thanks to a miraculous two-point conversion by a walk-on in overtime. And now, the icing on the cake, a loss to West Virginia, whom Texas had beaten in each of the past two seasons.
As if things couldn’t get worse for Sarkisian, Texas’ offense was horrific when it mattered most against West Virginia. The Longhorns converted on just two of ten third-down attempts, while completing less than 50 percent of their passing attempts for a mere 152 yards. West Virginia, on the other hand, managed 461 yards of total offense in a 31-23 victory, and the Longhorns were unable to mount a late-game comeback.
Texas, Sarkisian trolled en route to new low
Not only did Sarkisian string together Texas’ first losing record and bowl-ineligible season for the first time since Strong, but his Longhorns have been trolled every step of the way.
Baylor fans chanted in unison, “S-E-C! S-E-C!” en route to a Bears’ win, mocking Texas and its impending move from the Big 12 to the SEC. Then, Kansas fans started the exact same chant, and the Jayhawks’ social media department even joined in on the fun.
Now, in the latest edition of Sarkisian’s downfall, West Virginia’s servicemen got in on the fun.
The Mountaineers honored servicemen and servicewomen in the fourth quarter of Saturday’s game, showing them on the scoreboard of West Virginia’s Milan Puskar Stadium. And, of course, the troops flashed the “Horns Down” sign, mocking the Longhorns’ signature gesture.