Sarkisian Blames Texas' 2025 CFP Loss on Fatigue as Longhorns Face 6 Major Tests

1 articles · Updated · Fox News · Aug 31

Steve Sarkisian said Texas entered its 2024-2025 College Football Playoff loss to Ohio State mentally and physically drained, calling energy management a key lesson for the Longhorns.
On a recent podcast, Sarkisian said the team was "tired" after a long season filled with big games and that managing players' mental energy matters as much as handling their legs and physicality.
That concern lands as Texas heads into a 2026 season with one of college football's toughest schedules, including Ohio State, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, LSU and Texas A&M.
Arch Manning's second year as starter, a top-6 recruiting class and a defense expected to rank among the nation's best have fueled title expectations, but Sarkisian's comments sharpen questions about whether Texas can handle a playoff-caliber grind.

Sources

Is Steve Sarkisian's playoff fatigue claim a genuine sports science concern or just an excuse for falling short?

Will Arch Manning's late-season surge be enough to save Texas from their brutal 2026 schedule and playoff fatigue?

Could the Big Ten's strict new NFL return rule secretly derail blueblood rosters and crown a dark-horse 2026 champion?

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