Texas Hosts Ole Miss As Steve Sarkisian Seeks To End Two-Game Skid

No. 19 Texas football will host No. 7 Ole Miss on Saturday, October 24, 2026, at Darrell K Royal – Texas Memorial Stadium. Head coach Steve Sarkisian faces immediate pressure to reverse a consecutive two-game slide against an explosive Rebels offense on national television.

Texas enters the matchup at 4-2 after consecutive losses to Oklahoma and Florida, which has heavily damaged the team’s postseason ambitions. Meanwhile, Ole Miss head coach Pete Golding has guided the Rebels to a 5-1 record, building massive momentum following a dominant recent victory against Missouri.

Sarkisian And Manning Under National Scrutiny

Sarkisian has compiled a 52-22 career record at Texas, but a series of regular-season setbacks has placed his legacy in the spotlight. Former championship coach Urban Meyer stated on a prominent sports podcast that this matchup represents a rubicon and stands as the most important game of Sarkisian’s coaching career, according to reporting by Sports Illustrated.

Arch Manning’s inconsistent performances have added to the pressure on Sarkisian. Manning currently ranks 9th out of 15 qualifying SEC quarterbacks in quarterback rating following an underachieving prior season.

Former player Mark Ingram publicly noted that he places more competitive trust in Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss over Manning given their recent development arcs.

Defending Chambliss Without Colin Simmons

Texas’ defensive challenge grew after Thursday’s SEC availability report confirmed that edge rushers Colin Simmons and Richard Wesley would miss the game. Simmons leads the nation with 10.5 sacks and 16 tackles for loss, meaning the rest of the Texas defense has combined for just 8.5 sacks all year, as documented by HottyToddy.com.

Sarkisian said Chambliss poses a threat when he escapes the pocket, extending plays long enough for receivers to find openings downfield. Chambliss has produced 1,676 passing yards, 14 passing touchdowns, and six rushing touchdowns while managing behind an offensive line that has surrendered only five sacks all year.

Meanwhile, Covers reports that Ole Miss has allowed 29.2 points per game against ranked opponents, raising questions about whether its defense can contain Texas on Saturday.