"People go from praising you to doubting you really quickly" - Steve Sarkisian served reality check on Texas' starting poorly in 2025

Steve Sarkisian and the Texas Longhorns joined the SEC last season after the recent conference realignment. Despite being in arguably the toughest college football conference, the Longhorns managed to compete for the SEC title and secure a spot in the 12-team playoffs.

However, Steve Sarkisian and his team lost to Georgia in the conference championship game. They were defeated by Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl semifinal, bringing an end to their hopes of winning the national championship.

On Tuesday, CFB analyst Josh Pate talked about Steve Sarkisian and the Texas Longhorns' 2025 season on his show. He warned the fifth-year head coach of the consequences if they start Year 2 in the SEC on the wrong foot.

"You want to know how quickly goodwill and equity just evaporate in this sport?" Pate said. "Texas is currently the favorite to win the SEC... They are favored to win the national title. They go from that to .500 coming out of Red River in Week 6. Think about the talk around Arch Manning if that were to happen. You want to talk about chaos? Think about the talk around him."

"And think about the talk around Steve Sarkisian. Because as much as people are high on Steve Sarkisian... here's how this happens. This goes from, Sark got us right in the doorstep last year... to, we're barely above .500. That's how that changes. People go from praising you to doubting you really quickly." (Timestamp 4:45)

So far, Sarkisian has won just one Big 12 title with the Texas Longhorns. After nearly reaching the national championship game last season, fans will expect the team to be a strong contender in the playoffs under new starting quarterback Arch Manning.

---

CFB analyst believes it's 'national championship or bust' for Steve Sarkisian and the Longhorns in 2025

Since taking over the program in 2021, the Longhorns have gradually developed each year under Sarkisian. Thus, college football analyst J.D. Pickell believes that this year should be the season when he achieves his goal with the team.

On Tuesday's episode of 'Hard Count', Pickell said it's either national championship or bust for Sarkisian and his team this season.

"I'm very, very slow to say title or bust, whatever," Pickell said. "But with the situation that Texas is in right now, what they've done in the last couple of seasons, what Steve Sarkisian has done around Texas, and elevated Texas to, I think it's a fair statement to make." (Timestamp-1:23)

The last time the Longhorns won a national championship was in 2005. Can Steve Sarkisian bring an end to this drought in his fifth season with the program?