OTF Premium Snap Judgments: A hard dose of reality in No. 7 Texas' 27-24 loss to Florida

[Jeff Howe]

If you can’t win your get-right game, then you’re the get-right game.

That’s what No. 7 Texas was for Florida in Saturday’s 27-24 loss, a defeat that drove home a few realities about where the Longhorns are halfway through the 2026 season:

— The offense is broken and I don’t think Steve Sarkisian can fix it.

It’s beyond sticking with the running game or dialing up high-percentage throws to get Arch Manning into a rhythm. Outside of the opening script and a late touchdown drive highlighted by Manning’s desperation fourth-and-7 heave to Emmett Mosley V, Texas (4-2, 1-2 SEC) was abysmal offensively against one of the worst defenses in the SEC.

There’s no identity. There’s no flow or rhythm.

The only thing the Longhorns do consistently is fail to execute in critical situations and put the defense in bad spots.

The whole operation is a disaster and was every bit of one on Saturday.

Almost half of the 272 yards the offense gained were on the first two drives. After that, nothing went right.

When Sarkisian made calls that could've worked, Manning either missed open receivers, missed reads, misdiagnosed blitzes or put the offense behind the chains.

— Sarkisian’s game management has regressed.

Saturday’s loss looked a lot like the losses the Longhorns suffered in 2021 (which, by the way, is the last time Texas lost back-to-back regular-season games). According to Chris Hummer of CBS Sports, the Longhorns are the top-10 team in the Associated Press Top 25 since 2003 to blow a double-digit lead in back-to-back games.

When Texas got up 17-3, the Longhorns put it in neutral. The offense lacked urgency until the Gators took a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter and the defense (a unit that's not without blame) was gassed

The game flipped when Sarkisian went for it on fourth-and-1 from midfield with 3:23 left in the first half. A defense that had held its own finally cracked when asked to defend a short field (two of Florida’s three touchdown drives started in Longhorn territory).

Florida (5-2, 2-2) ran 81 plays against Will Muschamp’s defense. Buster Faulkner followed the same plan that worked for Oklahoma, with Tramell Jones Jr. making his first career start: short, high-percentage passes to set up manageable third downs, which activated the play-action passing game thanks to Jadan Baugh being a threat in short-yardage situations (all eight of the Gators’ third-down conversions came with a to-go distance of seven or less).

Jon Sumrall’s team kept chopping wood, just like Sooners did in the Red River Shootout last Saturday. The tougher team found a way to win, and for the second week in a row, it wasn't Sarkisian's squad.

— It’s seriously time to look at moving on from Manning.

I’ve been hesitant to buy into the Longhorns changing quarterbacks. But Manning isn’t making enough plays to offset catastrophic mistakes.

Either Manning doesn’t have a feel for when to make a pull read on RPOs or read options or Sarkisian doesn’t trust him to make the read and the pull read isn’t a part of the play. Beyond that, Manning looked gun-shy, held onto the ball too long and for the second week in a row, turned the ball over on the offense’s last possession of regulation.

The main question regarding Manning isn’t whether he’s regressed. It’s whether Manning can get to a point where he can be trusted to manage the game. If that can’t happen, Sarkisian has to look long and hard about what's best for the Longhorns.

— The defense will have issues if Colin Simmons, who was carted back to the locker room in the fourth quarter with an apparent lower leg injury, is out for an extended period of time.

Right now, Muschamp doesn’t have another defender who can take over a game like Simmons can. Whether Simmons was on the field or not, it’s hard to know how much of the defense’s issues are because of the lopsided play differential or Faulkner out-scheming Muschamp with an inexperienced quarterback and an offense that won the line-of-scrimmage battle.

— We can stop talking about the College Football Playoff. We need to start talking about whether this team can pull the nose up offensively to qualify for a bowl game.

Yes, it’s that bad right now.

Saturday was a chance to get right. Instead, the loss reinforced everything that’s wrong with Texas.

That there are too many questions and concerns to count at the halfway point is disturbing, especially since Sarkisian doesn’t have any obvious answers.

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[mmdaytontexas]

Why do we even recruit Tight Ends?

[Hooked4Life]

Outcoached. 
Outplayed. 
Out of playoffs. 

Hello Sun Bowl. 

[mmdaytontexas]

Simmons knees hit that turf hard with no knee protection. I think he has a bruised, dislocated, or broken knee cap.

[QuanCosbysBurner]

One was a preseason Heisman hopeful, the other two weren’t even a thought

[thatdude2]

Forget all this, when do questions start happening about letting the coach for CDC. This is high stakes with high rewards on the line. I can see if it’s a regular individual, but people’s emotional health and well being depend on Texas winning games. I’m afraid to go home and talk to my wife and daughter after this.

[OTFBrandon]

I’m tired jeff

[kren]

Simmons injury looked like an ankle to me

[Jordan91]

Arch has Mosley on the blitz and he froze. At least the second string quarterback has the excuse of not playing at all. Arch has no excuse. 

[NTX_Horn]

I said in another thread that this staff being back isn’t going to excite this fanbase next year.  What’s the point of keeping Sark.  They clearly put it all on the line this year bringing in Mushchamp, and going big in the portal.  What’s the point of doing it again next year even if there’s an OC?  Flood and Banks are still here.  Three first rounders and second day picks starting all over the roster.  I think this was a big or go home year for Sark and he’s blown it.

[Jordan91]

3 minutes ago, mmdaytontexas said:

Why do we even recruit Tight Ends?

They clearly don’t recruit linemen. 

[Shmatt]

The hard dose of reality is that Texas is a trash football team rn, making the playoffs will be a 1% chance miracle atp

[texcoyote15]

It’s over Jeff.  I hate to be negative but I’m a realist.  I don’t think he can fix all the mess that we have.  
 

I don’t know who the best hire would be but CDC needs to start thinking about it.  You just aren’t a good week of practice away from fixing this. I don’t know how long this will drag out, but I’ve seen this movie and know how it ends. 

[Levester White]

1 minute ago, Hooked4Life said:

Outcoached. 
Outplayed. 
Out of playoffs. 

Hello Sun Bowl. 

Pssssh, you’re too nice. They are lucky if they make The 7-11 Toilet Bowl. 

[Class of 04]

If Arch starts starts next week, the that's just coaching malpractice.

[Levester White]

Just now, texcoyote15 said:

It’s over Jeff.  I hate to be negative but I’m a realist.  I don’t think he can fix all the mess that we have.  
 

I don’t know who the best hire would be but CDC needs to start thinking about it.  You just aren’t a good week of practice away from fixing this. I don’t know how long this will drag out, but I’ve seen this movie and know how it ends. 

That’s not negative, you are being REAL! 

[nycHorn]

2 minutes ago, kren said:

Simmons injury looked like an ankle to me

That’s what I thought. 

[Larry Dodson]

I watched the game on Sky Cast on the SEC NW which is really good to see the overalll play. While everyone wants to blame Arch, I saw the following: (1) the OL blocking is bad. (2) Goosby had his worst game as a Horn. (3) Robertson needs to be replaced. (4) the tight ends are useless. (5) Gerry says Mosley was wide open on the first half pass to Coleman. No, he wasn’t. He came open as Arch released the ball. 

[HalfmileHorn]

Leaving the stadium now. Gator fans partying. We are the suck. 

[thatdude2]

6 minutes ago, OTFBrandon said:

I’m tired jeff

Real. 

[Han Soul Hole]

Will someone please chart routes between the hashes this season?  I swear we just never have anyone in the middle of the field.

[HornsUpThumbsDown]

No TE is a symptom of QB who can’t read the checks, and throw seam routes 

[akhookem]

Would be 4-3 if Ryan Day kicks a field goal in the first qtr while stomping our ass. Also, good luck vs ole Miss, miss st, Missouri, and lsu. 8-4 ceiling at this point? “Most talented roster since 08”. Are we sticking with that OTF and going to finally blame the staff or are we gonna back track?

Sark has got to go, he’s peaked out already at Texas. Give me the Will Stein experience next season. 
Honestly part of me is relieved we lost and didn’t pull off another miracle. Let’s rip the bandaid off and get through the pain of knowing this season is in the dumpster. Get rid of sark sooner. Move the hell on and restart.

[Daytripper]

Sobering. To hell with his feelings, KJ Lacey should get the start next Saturday. You can’t start a fire without a spark, and the Longhorns are in desperate need of an offensive spark 

[UTFanatic1981]

Sark needs to go!!!!!