Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian is preparing for what should be a big season for his squad. After two seasons in a row of reaching the college football playoff semifinal, the Longhorns are looking to get over the hump and into the national championship game. However, the team will have a tough first test as it plays the defending national champion Ohio State Buckeyes in Week 1.
On Tuesday, Sarkisian and the Texas Longhorns were available for the 2025 SEC media days. In his appearance, Sarkisian sent a bold message about the early-season challenge against Ohio State.
Sarkisian spoke about how the competitor in him loves the opportunity and wants to get revenge for the sting of losing. However, he acknowledged that both teams are different.
“We’re a different team. They’re a different team. A lot of new faces, transfers, different players, different coaches, different coordinators. And so once you get over the emotion of being excited to play that same team again, and you drill down to the tactical part of it all, which is, man, we got a lot of work to do. This is a very talented team.”
Sarkisian capped off his statements about the matchup against Ohio State by emphasizing again that each team is different from last year.
“The competitor in you is easy. Yeah, we want to go win that game. We want to go avenge the loss,” Sarkisian said. “But the reality is, this is a whole new year and different set of circumstances on the table. But obviously recognizing and respecting that this is a heck of an opponent. It’s gonna be a great challenge.”
Texas Longhorns will look to avenge last season’s playoff loss against Ohio State
The Week 1 matchup against Ohio State is important, not just because it is against the defending national champions. The Longhorns were eliminated in the semifinal of the 2024-25 college football playoff by the Buckeyes. As a result, Steve Sarkisian and his squad are trying to get that loss back.
Texas safety Michael Taaffe getting choked up after the loss to Ohio State.
“Wearing this burnt orange means something to me.” #HookEm pic.twitter.com/4V7Z76rKOr
— Zach Dimmitt (@ZachDimmitt7) January 11, 2025
The matchup between Texas and Ohio State is scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 30, at 12 p.m. ET. Afterward, the Longhorns have what should be an easy schedule for a few weeks before getting into SEC competition.
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