Steve

Sarkisian is living in a pressure cooker ahead of Texas’ clash with Ohio State. The Buckeyes are being hyped as this year’s champions before even surviving the semis, piling on the stress. In the meantime, each passing day presents a new perspective on how Ryan Day’s team will outsmart Sark. And then, Paul Finebaum enters the scene, dropping Texas slander like Thanos effortlessly snapping his fingers, intensifying the pressure even further. Sark has only one opportunity to prove the skeptics wrong, and he must give it his all. It’s a make or break situation.

So we all know that after Georgia’s loss against Notre Dame, there is just one team remaining in the championship run, and that’s the Texas Longhorns. Isn’t it obvious that taking the expectations of your whole conference in your soldiers puts pressure on you? At least Paul Finebaum feels that way, as he says, “But I still think Ryan Day has some pressure. I agree with Heather completely—I don’t think the weight of the world is on his shoulders anymore, but he has the best team. He has the most talented team. A lot of people have already given him the trophy, so I do think there is pressure there. Sark is also a very successful coach, and a loss here wouldn’t really hurt him, but it would hurt the SEC.”

It’s interesting to see how the tables have turned this season. Before entering it, people were like, “Is Texas ready for the SEC? as it’s their first year in the conference, but now the only question left is, can they win a national championship for the conference? See, it’s evident that this season with no Alabama and Georgia is a bit weird, but that doesn’t mean that Steve Sarkisian has to face the heat as if Sarkisian didn’t already have enough on his plate.

Now against Ohio State, the problem is just not on the offense but on the defense too. Ryan Day’s boys are like beasts when left in the field. Remember their game against Oregon and especially their star performer, Jeremiah Smith. This guy is the one holding up their offense tightly. During the game, Smith, on the third play from scrimmage, caught a short pass and sprinted 45 yards for a touchdown, giving the Bucks a lead of 7-0 within a minute of entering into the game. And forget about the defense; we all know Ohio State ranks No. 1 in defense, allowing 10.9 points and 241.1 yards per game.

So it’s pretty clear that Steve Sarkisian has a lot going on, and now he is also the sole bearer of SEC, which must be killing him. Plus, let’s just not forget the misery between Quinn Ewers and Arch Manning that’s creating buzz since their win against Arizona State. Now people want to see Arch, not Ewers, as we all know his run game struggles a lot, and against the Bucks, running the pigskin is important. But unlike many coaches, Sarkisian looks confident in his gameplay. But is Ewers pose that caliber?

Can Ewers live up to Steve Sarkisian expectations?

See, it’s evident that Quinn Ewers’ gameplay was not consistent this season, but he was also good at many times. Alright, let’s talk about the Peach Bowl—aka the game that had Longhorn fans questioning their life choices. In a double-OT thriller against Arizona State that’s already being called one of the greatest playoff games ever, Quinn Ewers proved what he is capable of. But let’s not sugarcoat it because this game started rougher than a cactus hug.

Now when one of Texas’ kickers missed two game-winners in the fourth quarter, every Longhorn fan was on the verge of writing their will. But Quinn? Unlike his nature, he was cool as a cucumber in a freezer. In a double-OT masterpiece, Quinn Ewers proved he’s built differently. During the first OT, Steve Sarkisian’s gem zipped a 28-yard bullet to Matthew Golden for six. OT2? Absolute artistry where Ewers hit Gunnar Helm for a touchdown before rolling right and threading a pinpoint 2-point pass to Golden to lock it up. Plus he ended his game with 322 yards, 3 TDs through the air, and 1 rushing, Quinn turned chaos into brilliance.

Well, Texas fans know the stakes—this isn’t just a game. It has been almost twenty years since the Longhorns last experienced success, with Quinn Ewers now at the forefront. Despite battling injuries all season, his Peach Bowl heroics silenced every doubter. While Steve Sarkisian displayed brilliance, it was Ewers who truly shone by delivering flawlessly under pressure, akin to a Black Friday special. Now, the Cotton Bowl Classic awaits. But the question remains the same: Will Ewers outshine Ryan Day and close his Texas chapter in legendary style?