Holly Rowe’s interview with Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian on Saturday was noticeably different from their last encounter. After Texas pulled off a nail-biting 24-23 comeback victory, Sarkisian had hurried away from Rowe during the postgame interview, leaving her clearly taken aback. However, before the highly anticipated clash between No. 1 Texas and No. 14 Tennessee at Neyland Stadium, the interview went smoothly, taking place just before kickoff.
Rowe referenced Arch Manning’s renowned uncle, Peyton Manning, and mentioned how the Manning family has historically performed well in Neyland Stadium. She then queried Sarkisian about the advice he gave Arch to make the game uniquely his.
“This is his moment. I want him to go out and have fun with his teammates, right? This team has been great all year. It’s going to continue to play great, but they need to play great together. It’s not about just Arch, it’s about the entire team,” Sarkisian stated during the interview.
“Thanks so much, coach. Appreciate you,” Rowe replied.
Sarkisian expressed gratitude as he returned to his sideline. The postgame interview after the Ohio State match had gone viral, and the buzz didn’t end there. Manning also addressed some viral clips that had surfaced following Texas’ impressive win and laughed off an AI-generated video of Sarkisian slapping Rowe, which made the room chuckle.
Since then, Manning has issued an apology for his comments, with Sarkisian clarifying that ESPN was managing technical delays and that he wanted to fully enjoy the moment with his team. He also remarked on having a good relationship with Rowe that traces back to his college days at BYU.
Sarkisian is hoping for a second interview with Rowe on the field following another victory for the Longhorns on Saturday. As of writing this, Texas was leading Tennessee 7-3 in the first quarter.
