Holly Rowe Interviews Steve Sarkisian with No Glitches Before Texas vs. Tennessee Game

In a recent interview, Holly Rowe had a smooth interaction with Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian before the game between No. 1 Texas and No. 14 Tennessee at Neyland Stadium. This interaction contrasted starkly with a previous occasion when Sarkisian abruptly left an interview following Texas’ narrow 24-23 comeback win, leaving Rowe visibly surprised.

During the pre-game interview, Rowe mentioned Arch Manning’s notable family history at Neyland Stadium and inquired about advice Sarkisian gave Manning. Sarkisian emphasized team spirit, stating, “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.” The conversation concluded amicably with Rowe expressing her thanks, to which Sarkisian reciprocated as he rejoined his team.

The earlier incident after Texas’ comeback against the Ohio State Buckeyes garnered viral attention. Manning jokingly referenced a humorous AI video showing a fictional altercation between Sarkisian and Rowe, which amused the room and prompted Manning to apologize for his comments. Sarkisian explained ESPN’s delays and expressed the importance of celebrating with his team, while highlighting his long-standing positive relationship with Rowe since his time at BYU.

At the time of reporting, Texas led Tennessee 7-3 in the first quarter, and Sarkisian anticipated another successful outcome would lead to a second field interview with Rowe.