Did Steve Sarkisian Take a Jab at South Carolina During His CFP Press Conference?
It might be worth reminding Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian that his team didn’t go undefeated this season.
South Carolina, which didn’t qualify for the College Football Playoff (CFP), is already reminded of their exclusion regularly—whether through commercials, sports discussions, or football broadcasts. The last thing the Gamecocks need is another coach criticizing them for voicing frustrations over missing the CFP.
During his latest CFP press conference, Sarkisian addressed the upcoming game against Arizona State, emphasizing the importance of staying focused to avoid an upset, despite Texas being the higher seed.
While discussing the matchup, Sarkisian also commented on teams that narrowly missed the CFP, like South Carolina.
“You can’t afford to take a week off because, as soon as you do, you’re at risk of losing. We’ve all seen it, haven’t we?” Sarkisian said on Monday. “There are plenty of teams complaining about not making the College Football Playoff, but they slipped up along the way too.”
Perhaps someone should remind Sarkisian, now an SEC coach, that Texas also had its share of missteps this season. Despite their strong performance, the Longhorns didn’t face as grueling a schedule as South Carolina did in 2024.
South Carolina played seven ranked opponents, including five in the Top 16, finishing 4-3 in those matchups. In comparison, Texas faced five ranked teams, with only two in the Top 16, and finished 4-1 against them—matching South Carolina’s number of ranked wins.
Additionally, Texas suffered two losses to Georgia, one of which came in the SEC Championship. A victory there would have secured Texas a bye, sparing them from facing Arizona State now. Before Sarkisian critiques other teams for their playoff shortcomings, it’s worth noting that Texas didn’t achieve perfection either.