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The Texas football team is getting ready for its biggest game of the season in the College Football Playoff semifinals at the Cotton Bowl. Steve Sarkisian and the Longhorns have a hefty task in front of them as they rake on the red-hot Ohio State Buckeyes.
Despite the high stakes and immense pressure of the game for both Texas and Ohio State, Sarkisian is still keeping home close to the heart. Shortly before the game kicks off, Sarkisian talked about one of his pregame routines.
“I FaceTime [my parents] before every game,” the Texas head coach said pregame. “My dad, for the longest time, stood on the sidelines with me. Obviously, he's getting older. He's getting ready to turn 89. But they're our biggest fans, our biggest supporters, so I always love touching base with them.”
Sarkisian and Texas are arguably a bit fortunate to have made it to this game after barely escaping a double overtime classic with Arizona State in the Peach Bowl on New Year's Day. Regardless, the only SEC team left in the bracket has a titanic battle on its hands if it wants to advance to the National Championship Game to take on Notre Dame.
Sarkisian and the Texas offense have to be more consistent against an Ohio State defense that has been on fire lately. The Buckeyes were able to shut down a vulnerable Tennessee offense to get some momentum before showing up at the Rose Bowl and destroying a very explosive Oregon attack on their way to another blowout win.
This Texas football team has had a troubling pattern of starting fast at the beginning of games and stalling out over the course of the game. That is exactly what happened against Arizona State when the Longhorns scored a touchdown in two plays at the start of the game before settling for punt after punt for most of the second and third quarters. That long lull from the Texas offense allowed Arizona State to come back and make it a close game that required a couple of extra periods to be decided.
