Oklahoma State Game Gives Longhorns Chance to Vanquish Road Struggles

Steve Sarkisian acknowledged the difficulty of winning on the road and how the Longhorns will handle doing so.

When the Texas Longhorns outlasted the Iowa State Cyclones on Saturday in their 24-21 win, they seemingly got the monkey of not finishing games off of their back. At least for now, that is, as one game is not indicative of an entire shift in culture or composure. 

However, it is a step forward for a Longhorns team that under coach Steve Sarkisian struggled to hang on to second half leads in 2021. Now, as they hit the road to take on the Oklahoma State Cowboys, they're faced with an opportunity to get yet another monkey off their back. 

That monkey? Their inability to win on the road, with Sarkisian acknowledging just how hard winning on the road can be. 

“I think poise and composure is really important on the road," Sarkisian said. "The crowd is not cheering for you, it’s cheering against you.”

Under Sarkisian, the Longhorns are 1-5 in true road games, with their lone win coming against TCU last season. However, this is not a uniquely Sarkisian problem, as the Longhorns have only beaten two ranked opponents on the road since 2017. 

Much like their ability to finish games, beating Oklahoma State on Saturday doesn't signify a complete shift in the culture around the team. What it represents, though, is a step forward. 

For a Longhorns team still looking to show that they're legit this season, knocking yet another monkey off their back against a top-15 Big 12 foe will go a long way in doing that. 

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You can find Connor Zimmerlee on Twitter @Connorjz98

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