Watch: Texas coach Steve Sarkisian takes stage to wrong fight song

SEC Media Days brought the usual buzz this week, but one of the most memorable moments came from a blunder on the soundboard, not the stage. When Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian took the podium, it wasn’t the familiar “Texas Fight” that blared through the speakers; it was rival Texas A&M’s fight song, the “Aggie War Hymn.”

Sarkisian didn’t acknowledge the mix-up, but the awkward intro quickly became a viral moment and one of the standout gaffes from the conference's marquee media event. Considering this is Texas’s second appearance at SEC Media Days, it might be time for producers to double-check their playlists.

The Longhorns made quite the first impression on the field last season, defeating Texas A&M 17-7 in College Station to close out the regular season and clinch a spot in the SEC Championship Game. Sarkisian, now in his fifth year at the helm, has steadily elevated the program, going 13-3 in 2024 and reaching the SEC title game for the second straight year. After a loss to Georgia, Texas beat Clemson and Arizona State in the College Football Playoff before falling to eventual national champion Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl semifinal.

Now, the national championship conversation continues in 2025 with Arch Manning officially taking over as the starting quarterback. Sarkisian praised the young signal-caller’s maturity, work ethic, and composure, saying Manning “carries himself like he’s 30 years old.”

“He's very even keel, quick-witted, and okay to laugh at himself, which I think is a great quality to have,” Sarkisian said. “When adversity strikes, some of that resiliency can come from remaining calm. Arch definitely has that about him.”

As Texas transitions into a new era with a new quarterback and hopefully the right fight song queued up, expectations in Austin remain sky-high.