The Aporia · Texas goes from No. 1 to two-game skid and coach says 'Everything needs to be evaluated'

Texas goes from No. 1 to two-game skid and coach says 'Everything needs to be evaluated'

Read the original at Toronto Star ↗

Cite

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Vertuno, J. (2026, October 17). Texas goes from No. 1 to two-game skid and coach says 'Everything needs to be evaluated'. Toronto Star. https://www.thestar.com/sports/football/texas-goes-from-no-1-to-two-game-skid-and-coach-says-everything-needs-to-be-evaluated/article_072eccfa-5162-5e82-97c5-9de381e2368a.html

Dated from the outlet's own feed. Check the original for its byline.

Quick Summary

Texas, previously ranked No. 1, is now facing a two-game losing streak after defeats by Oklahoma and Florida, jeopardizing their playoff chances. Coach Steve Sarkisian has indicated that every aspect of the team will be evaluated, including quarterback Arch Manning's performance, which has been inconsistent since the standout victory over Ohio State. The article highlights concerns about Texas’s run game and defense, as well as an injury to All-American edge rusher Colin Simmons during their loss to Florida.

Written by AI on 2026-10-18, from this article's own text only (the story summary below draws on all the coverage).

AI analysis

Story summary

As of October 17, 2026, the Texas Longhorns lost their second consecutive game to the unranked Florida Gators, falling from being the No. 1 team in the country just two weeks prior to a current ranking of No. 7. The game ended with a score of 27-24 after Texas quarterback Arch Manning fumbled near the end, sealing Florida's victory. This loss raises concerns about the Longhorns' playoff chances and Manning's performance, leading head coach Steve Sarkisian to say everything will be evaluated, including possibly benching Manning.

Texas had been dominant earlier in the game, leading 17-3 midway through the second quarter at Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin. However, Florida rallied with a methodical offense led by backup quarterback Tramell Jones and outscored Texas 24-7 over the final two and a half quarters to secure the win.

The defeat comes after a bitter loss to their arch-rival Oklahoma, further damaging the Longhorns' playoff aspirations. Manning, who entered the season as a Heisman Trophy hopeful and top NFL draft pick, has struggled to meet expectations despite being one of college football's most hyped recruits since 2023. Sarkisian did not directly rule out benching Manning but emphasized that "everything means everything" in terms of evaluating the team's issues.

Texas faces challenging upcoming games against Ole Miss and other SEC teams, making it crucial for the coaching staff to address recent setbacks effectively if they hope to salvage their season.

Written for “Texas Football Struggles Continue” on 2026-10-31, grounded in this article and the 6 other(s) covering the same event.

Compared with similar articles

This article reads unscored and hedges 6% of its claims. Each row says how that neighbour differs.

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Hedges 0 of 10 claims Outlet record 66/100

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Hedges 6 of 22 claims Outlet record 69/100

Steve Sarkisian gets cagey about Arch Manning’s starting job after another ugly Texas loss Same event

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Hedges 0 of 19 claims Outlet record 66/100

Steve Sarkisian vows to 'evaluate everything,' won’t rule out benching Arch Manning amid Texas' two-game skid Different event

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Hedges 3 of 31 claims Outlet record 69/100

“While both articles discuss Texas losing to Florida and Steve Sarkisian's comments about evaluating everything, ARTICLE B focuses more on Florida's victory and historical context, not just the loss itself.”

Struggling Texas QB Arch Manning says he'll be 'letting it rip' against No. 7 Ole Miss Different event

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Hedges 3 of 29 claims Outlet record 64/100

“The articles describe different points in time during Arch Manning's struggling season, but not the same specific game or incident.”

How this article was measured signals, leaning charts, publisher record, byline, topics and claims

Signals How these are calculated →

Claims extracted

sentences that state something as happening or true

Uncertain

2 of 31 hedged ("reportedly", "may", "according to")

Leaning

not political

takes no side on a contested political question

Publisher signals

64/100

Toronto Star's corrections and hedging, across everything collected from it. Not a measure of accuracy.

Outlets on this story

Sports

Same framing elsewhere

articles that frame the event the way this one does

Analyzed 2026-10-18 · how these are computed

How this is being covered How these are calculated →

Article leaning vs. publisher reliability

Source leaning vs. consistency

Publisher

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Running correction rate · 27 correction(s)

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Who wrote this

Jim Vertuno

17 article(s) here · 1 carrying a prediction

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🔮 But the memories have been undercut by Arch Manning’s struggles this season, and questions of whether he could be benched for backup KJ Lacey after consecutive losses to unranked opponents that sent Texas tumbling from No. 1.

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🔮 Two losses later, the Longhorns’ playoff hopes look shaky, their best player had to leave the game with an injury, and their most famous player, quarterback Arch Manning, is in such a funk that head coach Steve Sarkisian hinted that his job could be in jeopardy. “Everything is going to be evaluated,” Sarkisian said after Texas lost 27-24 to unranked Florida on Saturday.

2026-10-17 · assertive framing · Texas goes from No. 1 to two-game skid and coach says 'Everything needs to be evaluated'

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Nothing else under this byline is closely related to this article, so these are simply their most recent.

All 17 articles by Jim Vertuno →

Topics

AUSTIN Florida Longhorns Southeastern Conference Texas

Subjects

Texas GPE · 13× Florida GPE · 7× Sarkisian PERSON · 7× Manning PERSON · 6× Longhorns ORG · 4× AUSTIN GPE · 1× Arch Manning PERSON · 1× Southeastern Conference ORG · 1× Steve Sarkisian PERSON · 1× the College Football Playoff ORG · 1×

Narrative

Sarkisian was pressed whether that includes Manning, who has struggled to live up to the expectations surrounding his famous last name ever since he arrived on campus in 2023 as the nation’s top recruit.

framing: assertive · carried by 1 article(s) · first seen 2026-10-18

2026-10-18 · Toronto Star

Texas goes from No. 1 to two-game skid and coach says 'Everything needs to be evaluated' · assertive framing

Claims (31 extracted, 2 hedged)

Two losses later, the Longhorns’ playoff hopes look shaky, their best player had to leave the game with an injury, and their most famous player, quarterback Arch Manning, is in such a funk that head coach Steve Sarkisian hinted that his job could be in jeopardy. “Everything is going to be evaluated,” Sarkisian said after Texas lost 27-24 to unranked Florida on Saturday. uncertain

Texas → look → Saturday

he → press → recruit

“Everything,” Sarkisian said, “means everything.” asserted

Sarkisian → say → everything

Texas (4-1, 1-2 Southeastern Conference) has lost consecutive regular-season games for the first time since a 5-7 finish in 2021. asserted

Texas → lose → 2021

Since then, the Longhorns have been to the College Football Playoff twice, and been ranked No. 1 at some point in each of the last three seasons. asserted

Longhorns → rank → seasons

But this season now suddenly feels like it’s hanging by a thread. asserted

it → feel → thread

After dropping a bitter loss to unranked arch rival Oklahoma, the Longhorns were throttled by the worst defense in the Southeastern Conference and gave up a two-score lead at home. asserted

Longhorns → drop → home

Texas started this season No. 5 and jumped to No. 1 when Manning led a 21-point fourth-quarter comeback against top-ranked Ohio State. asserted

Manning → start → State

Few wins get better than that one and propelled Texas to the top. Manning and the Texas offense have struggled ever since. asserted

Manning → get → top

He has four games of 200 yards passing or less, and his pass protection has broken down over the last three. asserted

protection → have → three

He was sacked five times by Florida and coughed up the game-clinching fumble before the Gators ran out the clock. asserted

Gators → sack → clock

Manning was asked about Sarkisian’s evaluation comment. asserted

Manning → ask → comment

“Everyone is evaluated every week,” Manning said after the loss to Florida. asserted

Manning → evaluate → Florida

“That’s how it is at a school like this ... asserted

it → ’ → this

Everyone’s got to get better and it starts with me.” asserted

it → get → me

Sarkisian said the problems go deeper than Manning’s play. asserted

problems → say → play

A stagnant run game looked like it could break out against Florida when Raleek Brown scampered 32 yards for a touchdown in the first quarter. uncertain

Brown → look → quarter

Texas averaged just 3.3 yards per run the rest of the game. asserted

Texas → average → game

A defense that was so good over the first five games couldn’t get off the field against Florida and quarterback Tramell Jones Jr., who was making his first career start. asserted

who → get → start

Jones led a methodical Florida rally from a 17-3 deficit. asserted

Jones → lead → deficit

He threw two short touchdown passes in the rally and scrambled for the clinching first down at the end of the game. asserted

He → throw → game

Topping it off, Texas now has a big injury concern with All-American edge rusher Colin Simmons. asserted

Texas → top → Simmons

He fell to the turf clutching his lower right leg in the fourth quarter and needed help getting to the sideline. asserted

He → fall → sideline

He eventually went to the locker room on a golf cart. asserted

He → go → cart

Simmons set a school record with 5 1/2 sacks earlier this season against Tennessee, and had another one in the second half against Florida. asserted

Simmons → set → Florida

He appeared to be injured while engaged with a blocker, twisting his leg. asserted

He → appear → leg

Sarkisian said he did not yet know the extent of the injury. asserted

he → say → injury

Texas hosts No. 9 Mississippi next Saturday. asserted

Texas → host → Mississippi

The Longhorns likely need to avoid a third loss this season if they hope to make the playoff. asserted

they → need → playoff

“Men only die when they give up, when they don’t believe any more,” Texas defensive tackle Hero Kanu said. asserted

Kanu → die → ?

“We still believe.” asserted

We → believe → ?