Former Bucs star has clear advice for Steve Sarkisian as Texas faces an uphill battle against Ohio State

Texas coach Steve Sarkisian led his team to a nervy Peach Bowl win against the Arizona State Sun Devils to set up a clash against the Ohio State Buckeyes in the Cotton Bowl Classic.

The winner of the game will proceed to the national championship game against either the Penn State Nittany Lions or the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

During Monday's segment of the "Always College Football" show, former Tampa Bay Buccanneers star Booger McFarland advised Steve Sarkisian on how to approach the Cotton Bowl Classic (48:10).

“When Sark gets a team down 14-0, let’s continue to be aggressive and push the football,” McFarland said. “I’m not saying we’ve got to throw bombs every play, but let’s call plays where we’re trying to get chunk yardage.

"I think the tone has to be set with the play caller and the tone has to be set with the execution because we give Ohio State a lot of credit by saying, ‘Man, if they play their best football, they can beat them.’ I think the team that can possibly give them a run if they play their best is Texas.”

He continued:

“How they can match you up. You look at Texas’ defense. You look at Quinn Ewers,” McFarland said. “You look at the offense … Texas’ offensive line is no slouch. I honestly think that if Ohio State doesn’t quite play to a 10. Let’s say they play to an 8.5 and Texas plays to a 10, I think Texas can, no doubt about it, win this game.”

Steve Sarkisian accused of coaching lapses

During Monday's segment of "Always College Football," ESPN analyst Booger McFarland was critical of Sarkisian's team not always playing to their full potential (47:21).

“I think some of that has to do with coaching,” Booger McFarland said. “On defense, I can tell how aggressive we’re going to be by the play calls that come into the game.

"Like, if I’m on defense and we’re sitting in Cover-2, Cover-2, like, what are we doing? But if we’re coming in with single high, man pressure, zone pressure, I can tell that we’re trying to be super aggressive. Same thing goes for offense.”

The Longhorns jumped out to a 14-3 lead against the Arizona State Sun Devils in the Peach Bowl before relinquishing control of the game. This forced double overtime and a repeat against the rampant Ohio State Buckeyes in the Cotton Bowl Classic would not suit Steve Sarkisian.