Ohio State game is chance for Texas' Sarkisian to take the next step

The Longhorns have officially entered Ohio State game week and you can already feel the pressure. It will be another Top 5 matchup between the Longhorns and the Buckeyes. It is another chance for Steve Sarkisian to change the narrative around him and his program. It's what many people refer to as a "hinge point". Every head coach at a major program faces a number of "hinge points" in their tenure at their program. Steve Sarkisian has used these "hinge points" as positives in the past (2023 at Alabama, the Big 12 Championship, Peach Bowl vs. Arizona State). He's also squandered some "hinge points" that could've elevated the program at a faster rate(2024 SEC Championship, CFP Semifinals, 2025 at Ohio State). Sarkisian and company need to pass this test to get the full belief of the fanbase and national media. Whenever Steve Sarkisian comes up, the immediate question is: How has he done against the elite coaches and programs in the country? He's 0-3 vs. Kirby Smart and Georgia and 0-2 vs. Ohio State and Ryan Day. Those are two of the four current head coaches that have a National Championship on their resume. Sarkisian's sole win against one of those coaches was over Dabo Swinney and Clemson in 2024, a game Texas was expected to win. Simply put, Steve Sarkisian has yet to elevate into the elite level of coaches in college football. That can change this weekend. Now, it should be said, winning this weekend but falling short of season-long expectations won't fix the narrative. However, a win over Ohio State is something every program building towards National Championships needs: proof of concept. Sarkisian gave that to Texas fans in 2023 when Texas went into Tuscaloosa and beat Nick Saban's Crimson Tide. That was the moment many Longhorn fans began to believe this was going to be a different program under Steve Sarkisian. Now's the time to take that next step forward and prove it is ready to compete with the best of the best. This offseason for Texas has had one clear goal: leaving good behind to become great. Roster moves, coaching moves and everything in between were made to make this a team that's ready to compete for championship, not just for CFP spots. Texas can make the CFP this season without having a "program changing" win. They can't win a National Championship without multiple of those wins along the way. Saturday is the first(or hopefully many) cracks at it. Most people don't need it explained to them that a win over Ohio State would be massive for the program. It's fully understood the magnitude a win over the Buckeyes has, no matter the era of college football. However, it can't be overstated how much a loss could impact this team negatively. The fanbase would begin to doubt and it's increasingly difficult to keep that doubt from creeping into the locker room. The schedule in front of the Longhorns after this weekend could turn minor doubts into missing the CFP. I'm not sure it needs to be said what would happen if that were to come to pass. Steve Sarkisian has built the Texas program from a 5-7, drama-filled first season to a "title or bust" sixth season. He has worked this offseason to create a team that not only can compete with Ohio State and Georgia, but can beat them. I believe he has done that. This is a remarkably talented team that has, in my opinion, the best coaching staff under Sarkisian at Texas. Saturday is the chance Sarkisian has to prove all the offseason moves were well worth it. Walking into Saturday, none of the season long goals are on the line for Texas. What's on the line is maybe the most important piece to achieving those goals: tangible belief. Saturday is a chance for Sarkisian to change "this could be the best team in the country" to "this is the best team in the country". That's been the difference in Sarkisian's tenure at Texas and this Ohio State game could be one of his last chances to change that narrative. Picture Perfect: Check out best photos from Longhorns 59-7 winThis article originally appeared on Longhorns Wire: Ohio State game is chance for Texas' Sarkisian to take the next step