Sarkisian: 2021 Kansas Loss 'Removed Warts' From Texas Program

Despite the embarrassment, Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian believes the 2021 loss to Kansas in Austin was a good thing for the program.

AUSTIN - The Texas Longhorns suffered one of the most embarrassing losses in school history in November of 2021, when they were upset at home by the Kansas Jayhawks 57-56 in overtime. 

The loss would eventually keep the Longhorns out of Bowl eligibility, and send many to wonder if Steve Sarkisian really was the right man for the job in Austin. 

Two years later with the Longhorns sitting at 4-0 and ranked No. 3 in the country with a win over Alabama in Tuscaloosa, those concerns are now all but gone. 

But Sarkisian hasn't forgotten the lessons learned on that night against the Jayhawks. 

And he also believes that loss, despite the immediate embarrassment, was actually a good thing in the long run for the program. 

"In a weird way, I'm kind of glad it happened because it exposed some warts in our program that needed to get removed," Sarkisian said. "If we hadn't removed those warts, we might not be where we are today in our program. Not all storms come to cause issues in your life... I feel like that storm cleared a path for us on what we needed to do in our program to move forward."

Kansas celebrates their 57-56 upset win over the Longhorns in Austin in 2021 / USA Today Sports

That said, the Jayhawks are also a vastly improved team since the 2021 matchup. 

Also in his third year at the helm, Lance Leipold has made a palpable change for Kansas, going from 2-10 in 2021, to 6-7 and a bowl berth in 2022, and now sitting at 4-0 and No. 24 in the country in 2023. 

And Sarkisian is impressed.

“I think what’s impressed me is they’re similar to us in some degree that they’re in year three," Sarkisian said. "We have players in our program we inherited that stuck to it and didn’t decide to go into the portal and became really good players for us... I think they’ve done a really good job of implementing their schemes on both sides of the ball.”

In a typical year, the Longhorns - intentionally or not - might overlook their final September opponent in preparation for their annual matchup with the Oklahoma Sooners. 

Not this year, however. This year, the Jayhawks have the Horns' full focus, in what might be the biggest matchup between the two programs to date. 

"Our guys are focused, and they know what it's going to take," Sarkisian said. "All we have to do is turn the tape on for Kansas. They're 4-0 for a reason. It's not by fluke. These guys are playing very good football right now."

Kickoff between the Longhorns and Jayhawks is set for 2:30 p.m. CT.