Steve Sarkisian has proven that Texas belongs among college football’s elite. But one question keeps following him: can he beat the SEC’s $13 million man, Kirby Smart? That question resurfaced as Austin American-Statesman columnist Cedric Golden was asked to pinpoint the biggest weakness in the Longhorns’ otherwise impressive head coaching resume. 

Austin American-Statesman columnist Cedric Golden points to two gaps in Sarkisian’s resume. One is red-zone efficiency, especially in the 2025 losses to Ohio State. The other has to do with beating his SEC rival head coach. 

“That’s been the thing that’s separated him from breaking through besides the fact he can’t beat Kirby Smart,” he said on The Paul Finebaum Show. “He got to beat Kirby Smart. And Kirby Smart’s not going anywhere. And Sarkisian wants to break out of that group of great coaches who’ve never won one… He’s going to have to figure out the Georgia Sphinx, and that has been a tough one for him to call.” 

Golden’s comments cut to the heart of the criticism around Texas. Since joining the SEC, the Longhorns have met Georgia at the biggest moments, and each time the result has been the same. One defeat cost them a No. 1 ranking. Another denied them the SEC title, forcing an extra playoff game that drained them before the Cotton Bowl loss. To quiet the doubters, Sarkisian must solve this Georgia problem.

Then came last season’s 35-10 loss in Athens, where Georgia closed with 21 unanswered fourth-quarter points and exposed the gap between the two SEC teams. After that game, Steve Sarkisian didn’t sugarcoat what happened.

“It was a pretty good game for three quarters, and it was not a great game in the fourth quarter, at least not for us,” he admitted.

Texas has elite talent. But against Georgia, execution falters. Kirby Smart’s teams simply execute better when pressure peaks. Kirby Smart’s teams simply execute better when the pressure is on. Now, with his record-breaking 10-year extension keeping him in Athens for the long haul, this rivalry isn’t going away. If the Longhorns want to rule the SEC, they’ll eventually have to get past him. 

Steve Sarkisian has brought Texas back into the national title conversation. But the hardest part is getting over the one obstacle that keeps standing in the way.

“I think they’re a playoff team, but until they win the SEC and/or beat Georgia or make some real noise in the playoff, that’s going to be the question surrounding Sark,” Golden added. 

Georgia is the team everyone in the SEC is chasing right now. Kirby Smart has won three conference titles in the last nine years, including that overtime win over Texas in the 2024 SEC Championship Game. That’s a big reason why plenty of people still believe he’s the best coach in college football.

“If you exclude the COVID year, Smart is averaging 12.6 wins over his last eight full seasons at Georgia,” ESPN’s Max Olson noted. “His SEC record is a ridiculous 40-5 since 2021… Smart’s track record of acquiring and developing blue-chip talent and consistently winning at the absolute highest level can’t be beat.” 

So, until Texas finally beats Georgia when it matters most, the toughest critic Steve Sarkisian faces may be the standard Kirby Smart continues to set.