Texas‘ Red zone struggles Haunt Loss to Ohio State, Raising Familiar questions for Sarkisian
AUSTIN, TX – Aug. 30, 2025 – Critical red zone failures plagued the No.1 Texas Longhorns in their 14-7 season-opening loss to Ohio State on Saturday, continuing a concerning trend under coach Steve Sarkisian and casting a shadow over quarterback Arch Manning’s debut. The Longhorns failed to convert on two red zone trips, mirroring past struggles against the Buckeyes and reigniting scrutiny of Texas’ ability to finish drives when it matters most.
Texas is now 0-for-its-last-3 in red zone opportunities against Ohio State, a pattern that includes a red zone fumble by Quinn Ewers in last season’s College Football Playoff semifinal. This latest performance underscores a persistent issue for Sarkisian, who faced questions about the team’s red zone efficiency as early as SEC media days this summer.
The narrative surrounding Sarkisian’s tenure has been consistently marked by red zone difficulties.while he initially dismissed concerns as a “jab,” the coach acknowledged the need for betterment inside the 20-yard line. According to Sarkisian, UT improved its red-zone touchdown percentage by 13 points from 2023 to 2024, reaching 63.8% – 54th nationally. Though, the Longhorns haven’t cracked the top third of the country in red zone offense as Sarkisian’s first season in 2021.
Despite outgaining Ohio State 336-203, the Longhorns’ inability to capitalize on scoring opportunities, coupled with costly penalties and a turnover, proved decisive.
“Got to get back to square one and then get back Monday and go prepare for San Jose State,” Manning said after the game.