It is out of their management, now. All of the Texas Longhorns can do now could be wait. 

Properly, that and pray. 

A 41-34 loss Saturday to Oklahoma State ends all dialog of Texas attempting to develop into the primary two-loss crew to make the Faculty Soccer Playoff. It hasn’t completely ended its hopes of constructing it to the Large 12 Championship on Dec. 3 in Arlington, however the pathway has the twists and turns from hell. 

At the moment, the Longhorns (5-3, 3-2 Large 12) are behind No. 7 TCU (7-0, 4-0), No. 9 Oklahoma State (6-1, 3-1), and No. 22 Kansas State (5-2, 3-1) within the present convention standings. They nonetheless have video games towards the Horned Frogs and Wildcats, to not point out pair of matchups towards Kansas in Lawerence and newfound Baylor crew at dwelling. 

For now, the Horns relaxation. They should after permitting the Pokes to attain 17 unanswered factors within the second half and provides followers a flashback to Saturdays on the common a season in the past. 

The ache will fester for over the subsequent 13 days earlier than Texas returns to the gridiron to face Kansas State, a must-win matchup for each faculties. 

Good. It must. 

“That’d be good to play subsequent week, however it’s simply not the way it goes,” quarterback Quinn Ewers stated postgame. “It might be good to get the bitter style out of your mouth, however I feel (the bye will) be good for us to regroup, determine what we’re about, hopefully bounce again.”

Texas nonetheless finds itself making the identical errors from Steve Sarkisian’s first season. The Longhorns had the lead for 30-plus minutes, blew it with minutes remaining and could not discover any offensive consistency to match their opponent. 

Ewers appeared human, going 19 of 49 passing (38.8 p.c) for 319 yards and two touchdowns towards three interceptions. Bijan Robinson totaled 55 yards within the second half, however could not punch it in for factors. The offense tallied 152 yards off 42 performs and solely walked away with three factors to its credit score. 

Texas is now 1-6 on the street below Sark. The Longhorns have been undisciplined when the moments counted, being charged with a season-worst 14 penalties for 119 yards. And the protection misplaced its juice, permitting OK State QB Spencer Sanders to report over 400 yards of offense and two touchdowns. 

“It hurts to the core,” Texas linebacker DeMarvion Overshown stated. “I’m hurting, everybody within the locker room is hurting. Shedding a giant recreation on the street, going right into a bye week, it’s going to sting.”

Texas is taking child steps in Yr 2, however the fan base desires the ‘All Fuel, No Brakes’ that was promised when Sark was employed again in January of 2021. In 20 video games, the Longhorns have overwhelmed one ranked opponent, and that was towards No. 23 Louisiana in Sarkisian’s debut. 

Do not assume for one second Sark is not annoyed. He is 10-10 since arriving in Austin and has blown 5 double-digit first-half leads throughout that span. 

“Take nothing away from Oklahoma State, they deserved to win,” Sarkisian stated. “However a number of what occurred as we speak was self-inflicted wounds. They did not beat themselves. They sort of hung round and we began to beat ourselves.”

Everyone seems to be in search of the best reply to the identical downside. Some imagine per week off will do wonders for the crew’s physique. Others assume per week of follow with a recreation week really feel may be the kick wanted to get Texas again on observe.

Who’s to say? Final season, Texas entered its bye week after dropping to Oklahoma State with the identical intentions, solely to blow one other lead on the street towards Baylor. In contrast to the Bears final yr, the Wildcats will not have time to recuperate. They face the Pokes in Manhattan Saturday afternoon. 

Good groups recuperate from heartbreaking losses. Nice ones present what they’re able to when clicking on all cylinders. 

What sort of crew are the Longhorns? In response to Overshown, the subsequent 13 days will dictate that consequence. 

“We have simply received to maneuver on to the subsequent one,” Overshown stated. “Take this bye week, get wholesome, clear up issues from this recreation.”

You may comply with Cole Thompson on Twitter @MrColeThompson

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