Texas coach Steve Sarkisian knows the college football world is focused on the Longhorns facing No. 1 Alabama on Saturday, with two of the sport's biggest brand names facing off for just the 10th time in history.
But Sarkisian also is cautioning his team not to get too distracted by all the focus. The Longhorns are 19-point underdogs at Caesars' Sportsbook and are likely to close with their longest odds to win at home since the 1978 FBS/FCS split, according to ESPN Stats & Information.
Still, it's a huge opportunity to see how Sarkisian's progress stacks up against his old boss Nick Saban. «It's one game, you know?» Sarkisian said Monday. «It's a chance for us to do what we love to do.
I think one of the biggest mistakes people make is [thinking] this is going to be the game that's going to define our program. »It might, it might not.