Texas coach ends postgame interview to celebrate win over Ohio State
Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian left an ESPN sideline interview after the team's 24-23 comeback victory, prompting a brief exchange with reporters about technical delays earlier in the game.
Texas rallied from a 20-3 halftime deficit to defeat top-ranked Ohio State 24-23 in Austin on Saturday night. After the win, ESPN sideline reporter Hollie Rowe attempted to start a postgame interview, but Sarkisian interrupted, shouting "Go Texas, fight! Hook ’em" before walking away to join his players.
Earlier in the first half, another ESPN reporter, Laura Rutledge, experienced technical difficulties while trying to interview the coach. When the issues persisted, Sarkisian declined to wait and returned to the sidelines to address his team. Rutledge later clarified that the coach had been patient, apologized for the delay, and said the network also apologized to him before the third quarter.
"He did decline the interview at the half," Rutledge said, adding that Sarkisian had waited a long time and that the network should have apologized for the technical problems.
The incident highlighted the tension between live broadcast constraints and the coach's focus on his team's comeback.