Texas Longhorns' Steve Sarkisian Embraces Underdog Mentality vs. Ohio State

The Texas Longhorns are underdogs for the first time in a while against the Ohio State Buckeyes.

Jon Alfano | Jan 3, 2025

Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian looks downfield while coaching in the second quarter as the Texas Longhorns play the Arizona State Sun Devils in the Peach Bowl College Football Playoff quarterfinal at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, Jan. 1, 2025. / Sara Diggins/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Texas Longhorns

The Texas Longhorns were nearly two-touchdown favorites in each of their first two College Football Playoff games, but that couldn't be further from the case in their semifinal matchup.

Facing a red-hot Ohio State Buckeyes team in the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic, the Longhorns are actually six-point underdogs as of Friday evening. It's easy to see why, though, as the Buckeyes crushed the Tennessee Volunteers 42-17 and the No. 1 seed Oregon Ducks 41-21 in their first two playoff games. Meanwhile, the Longhorns just barely escaped against the Arizona State Sun Devils with a 39-31 double-overtime victory.

It may seem difficult for a team that's been favored in every game this season up until now to adopt an underdog mentality, but that's exactly what head coach Steve Sarkisian is preaching ahead of this game.

"Now to be in the semis and play in the Cotton Bowl in Dallas is huge," Sarkisian told reporters Friday. "We're going to need our fans. We're going to need our fans' support. I need Longhorn Nation to show out in Arlington. We're going to need everything we've got to try to win this game.

Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian directs his player against Arizona State during the second quarter of the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl in Atlanta on Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025. / Michael Chow/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

"Clearly, we're massive underdogs. Nobody's going to give us a shot. So we're going to need all that we can to try to win this game."

At first, Sarkisian's plea to fans to pack AT&T Stadium might seems silly. After all, Texas' campus is just over 200 miles away from the venue, less than a fifth of the distance from Ohio State's venue.

Remember, though, this is the team with possibly the single biggest fanbase in the sport, and those who do make the trek to Arlington will make some serious noise.

That said, the Longhorns obviously aren't ready to go home yet, and they'll be more than fired up for this heavyweight showdown.

"The journey is not done; the mission is not complete," Sarkisian said. "It's still a driving force behind what we do every day. Why we wake up so early. Why we stay so late. Why our players are coming in on an off day when we're asking them not to be here, and they're in here watching tape, stretching, striding, getting rehab.

"It's all that. It's all that continues to push you because none of this is guaranteed. Today is not guaranteed."