Texas Coach Steve Sarkisian Defends Ohio State After Road Loss and Questions CFP Selection Process

Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian defended Ohio State following the Buckeyes' Week 2 road loss in Austin, while also raising concerns that the College Football Playoff committee did not adequately reward Texas for playing at Ohio State in the prior season's opener. The Longhorns overcame a 20-point deficit to win 24-23. Sarkisian's remarks reflect ongoing questions about how high-profile road games are factored into CFP selection decisions, after Texas finished 13th and was left out of the 12-team playoff field in 2024 despite a strong second-half run.

Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian offered words of support for Ohio State following a game in which the Longhorns overcame a 20-point fourth-quarter deficit to defeat the Buckeyes 24-23 in Austin. What happens next will become clear only as events unfold. The issue carries considerably more weight than a passing inconvenience or minor setback. During a Monday, Sept. 14 media session, Sarkisian remarked that Texas had not received recognition for making the trip to Columbus the prior season, while voicing the expectation that Ohio State would be credited for serving as the host program this year; Texas also lost road games to an unranked Florida team that ended the season 4-8 and to No. 5 Georgia, a contest in which Arch Manning threw for 252 yards and a touchdown in a 35-10 loss. Those early-season losses kept Texas out of the 12-team playoff field, despite the Longhorns finishing the regular season at 6-1 and placing themselves among the upper tier of SEC programs. Ranked 13th in the final poll, Sarkisian's team fell one spot short of an at-large playoff position, with Notre Dame and BYU claiming the final available berths. Down 20 points at the start of the fourth quarter on Sept. 12, the Longhorns scored three unanswered touchdowns to claim victory over the Buckeyes and snap a two-game skid.

Texas Coach Steve Sarkisian Defends Ohio State After Road Loss and Questions CFP Selection Process

Related Posts

Texas Coach Steve Sarkisian Defends Ohio State After Road Loss and Questions CFP Selection Process

Related Posts