The Texas Longhorns' offense has been abysmal at best against Ohio State's elite defense. The Longhorns have yet to score at the time this article is being written against the Buckeyes. Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian can't seem to find anything that works against this dense adn his quarterback Arch Manning just doesn't look comfortable.
On the Longhorns' best drive of the game, however, a drive that finally got into the red zone, Sark seemed to completely choke. On 1st and goal, Texas ran a designed quarterback run with Manning, and did again on second down. Then Sark did change things up a bit with another run, but this time by the running back.
On 4th and goal with the ball on the one-yard line, Sark decided to call for yet another quarterback run with Manning, who was stuffed at the line, and Texas turned the ball over on downs.
Fans are absolutely demolishing Sark for his choice in play-calling because this isn't the first time this has happened, as Longhorns fans saw it happen last year again against Ohio State in the College Football Playoff Semifinal game.
Steve Sarkisian every time he has to call goal-line plays against Ohio State pic.twitter.com/hB5P7xqfwX
β Barstool SEC (@SECBarstool) August 30, 2025
There seemed to be absolutely nothing going on in his head when it came to calling plays in the red zone. Sark really should figure out that part of his game if he ever wants to have true success with Texas.
Steve Sarkisian red zone playcalling pic.twitter.com/Zo0FM08Vom
β kb (@shhitskb) August 30, 2025
Trash by the standards of Texas fans, but Ohio State will certainly take Sark continuing to call plays like that.
"Let's see what Steve Sarkisian cooks up here on 4th & Goal..."
β College Sports Only ππβΎοΈ (@CollegeSportsO) August 30, 2025
Sark: pic.twitter.com/nZN0O3QI0L
That square peg will never fit in that round hole, so maybe Sark should stop trying to force it to.
Steve Sarkisian's red-zone play calling... pic.twitter.com/8r5WOCde89
β Cody Nagel (@CodyNagel247) August 30, 2025
Here is a little dig at the Big Ten as a whole, calling back to the days when Scott Frost was coaching a Nebraska and just simply was not good. This is a pretty tough comparison for Sark.
No bigger rivalry in football than Steve Sarkisian and fourth and goal
β John Williams (@john9williams) August 30, 2025
Might even be bigger than Ohio State and Michigan.
How is Steve Sarkisian such a wizard play-caller, yet his teams always stink in the red zone? π€
β Jesse Simonton (@JesseReSimonton) August 30, 2025
A question that will plague Texas fans for years to come.
Is Steve Sarkisian the worst goal to go play caller in college football?
β PAWL (@Boomer_Pawl) August 30, 2025
That is the question that every Texas fan is asking themselves over and over again every time Texas doesn't score on the goal line.