Steve Sarkisian on first road test: This is when you have to lean on one another

Texas started off the season with three straight games at home this season, and won’t have to leave the state for their first road matchup against Texas Tech. Head coach Steve Sarkisian spoke about the Longhorn’s first road test coming up and the challenges that’ll come with it.

“I think it’s big, our first road test, obviously, and conference game. Rules being what they are, we only get to bring 70 players on the road, so a limited roster size compared to what we’ve had for home games,” Sarkisian said.

Sarkisian knows that they will face challenges in their first road test of the season, and believes that the key to Texas’ success will be their team camaraderie.

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“I think the reality of it is this is when you have to really lean on one another. And this is when regardless of the circumstances, adversity is gonna strike Saturday, I don’t know when, I don’t know how, I don’t know what shape, form,” Sarkisian explained. “The reality of it is we gotta keep leaning on one another and not get fragmented, and I think our guys understand that.”

Both teams enter the matchup with just one loss, Texas’ to a then-ranked No. 1 team in the country in Alabama and the Red Raiders to No. 16 NC State team last week. Both teams are both battle-tested and have faced some of the country’s top teams already, as Texas Tech will face their third straight ranked opponent in Texas this weekend.

The Longhorns will be playing in front of a sellout crowd this weekend as well for their first away game, against a Texas Tech squad that’s currently 2-0 at home this season.

“It’ll be a great environment for football, this is what it’s about, this is going on the road in a game like this against a quality opponent. If you love football you love this opportunity and I think that’s the approach our team has taken,” Sarkisian said.

Hopefully the Longhorns can have a faster start this week than they did in their last matchup, as they entered halftime tied 17-17 to UTSA after a scoreless first quarter. Texas eventually rallied, leaning on star running back Bijan Robinson who had a 41-yard and 78-yard run in the second half of the ballgame.

It’s great for Texas fans to see Robinson shine, but they will surely want to get off to a hotter start in their first conference game of the season where the stakes will be much higher.