Steve Sarkisian’s ‘take nothing for granted’ message ahead of Arkansas, Texas A&M finale

Steve Sarkisian, Texas Longhorns head coach, traveled from Tiger Stadium on Saturday night with an 8-2 record, a No. 6 ranking in the College Football Playoff standings, and a 22-21 victory over LSU Tigers. However, he warned the team that they "don’t know" if they have secured a playoff spot, as they have two regular-season games against rivals ahead. These games are against the Arkansas Razorbacks at home and the Texas A&M Aggies in College Station.

The Arkansas Razorbacks are currently 4-6, but they arrived in Austin after defeating ranked South Carolina Gamecocks 34-6, ending a 770-day wait for a home SEC win. Ryan Silverfield's defense forced four turnovers in that game, and the Razorbacks need to win their last two games to reach bowl eligibility, making their road trip to Austin crucial for their season.

On the other hand, Texas A&M Aggies lost 22-7 to Tennessee Volunteers at Kyle Field, marking their third consecutive defeat. Mike Elko apologized to the fan base during a postgame press conference and opened up about the team's struggles. Texas A&M will visit the Oklahoma Sooners before hosting Texas, a rivalry the Longhorns have won in the last two seasons, including the 2025 game that secured an unbeaten regular season for Texas.

Both of Texas' losses this season came after they gained advantages, such as a 17-7 lead against Oklahoma and a 27-24 defeat against Florida Gators.