Texas football schedule: Predicting first loss of Steve Sarkisian era

Texas football has entered into a new era. What will the first year look like as the Longhorns are now led by Steve Sarkisian?

Shortly after the Texas Longhorns decided to pay a ton of money to move on from Tom Herman, they ended up bringing in Steve Sarkisian, then the offensive coordinator for Nick Saban and the Alabama Crimson Tide.

Now, Texas is in the process of transitioning from Herman to Sarkisian. That process could potentially take some time.

Unfortunately for the Longhorns, they won’t be given a ton of time to make that switch as the 2021 Texas football schedule gets off to a rather intriguing start. And because that schedule starts off with some interesting challenges, there are multiple opportunities early on for UT to suffer its first loss of the year and also the Steve Sarkisian era.

But when exactly will the first loss of the Sarkisian era happen? Let’s take a quick run through the 2021 Texas football schedule.

Here’s what the Texas Longhorns’ schedule shakes out to be for 2021:

• Sept. 4 – vs. Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns
• Sept. 11 – at Arkansas Razorbacks
• Sept. 18 – vs. Rice Owls
• Sept. 25 – vs. Texas Tech Red Raiders
• Oct. 2 – at TCU Horned Frogs
• Oct. 9 – vs. Oklahoma Sooners in Dallas, Texas
• Oct. 16 – vs. Oklahoma State Cowboys
• Oct. 30 – at Baylor Bears
• Nov. 6 – at Iowa State Cyclones
• Nov. 13 – vs. Kansas Jayhawks
• Nov. 20 – at West Virginia Mountaineers
• Nov. 27 – vs. Kansas State Wildcats

The first week of the 2021 season could be more difficult than what Texas football fans would like. Louisiana proved to be a tough challenge for everyone that faced it, including Iowa State, who won the Big 12 championship. But, despite that being a tough test for the Longhorns, UT should still come out on top of that contest.

Texas is capable of beating both Arkansas, Rice, and Texas Tech, but both the Razorbacks and Red Raiders could potentially pull off the upset.

However, my guess is that Texas starts the season 4-0, gains some momentum and some love from various media entities before running into a difficult three-week stretch that will almost certainly deliver the Longhorns’ first loss.

UT will likely have a tough time when they travel to face off against TCU and it’s worth noting that the Longhorns failed to beat the Horned Frogs a season ago.

This year, Texas will have to contend with quarterback Max Duggan, who could take a step forward as a passer as he enters his junior season, in his home stadium. Last season on the road against the Longhorns, Duggan completed 20 passes on 30 attempts, throwing for 231 yards and then running for 79 yards and two touchdowns.

Compared to his freshman year, Duggan became more efficient during his sophomore season. It stands to reason that he may continue to improve in his junior year. If so, UT may have a hard time winning this road game.

If Texas is able to survive its trip to Fort Worth to face the Horned Frogs, then they’ll be 5-0 before facing the Oklahoma Sooners in the Red River Shootout.

Given that this is a rivalry game, which can lead to all sorts of bizarre happenings during the game, there’s a chance that Texas will compete with the Sooners. But, Oklahoma boasts one of the most talented rosters in the country, a star quarterback in Spencer Rattler, and an improving defense. Don’t expect UT to come out on top here.

But let’s say that Texas does make it through both of those contests unscathed, they’ll then have to handle the possibility of a hangover after getting a huge rivalry win while facing off against Oklahoma State. That certainly has the makings of a classic college football hangover game.

And so, the first loss of the Steve Sarkisian era likely comes in Fort Worth in early October. If it doesn’t happen then, it’ll almost certainly happen against one of the two teams from Oklahoma in the following weeks.

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