KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Texas star defensive end Colin Simmons apologized for drawing an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for "simulating using the restroom" after sacking Tennessee quarterback Faizon Brandon in the first half of Saturday's 20-17 victory.
Simmons sacked Brandon for a 16-yard loss in the second quarter, then was penalized 15 yards when he mimed urinating on the field. The referee announced the penalty for "simulating using the restroom."
After the game, Simmons, a junior, thanked God for everything he accomplished and then apologized for his actions.
Colin Simmons was called for an unsportsmanslike conduct penalty after a sack on 3rd down. pic.twitter.com/JO0CH6aeOf
— ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) September 26, 2026
"I also do want to say I apologize for the celebration," said Simmons, who tied a school record with five sacks Saturday. "I was definitely in that mode, feeling myself. But, you know, it happens. Charge it to the game."
Simmons said he heard from players and coaches about the penalty.
"But next-play mentality," he added. "We don't harp on that."
The penalty drew the ire of Longhorns coach Steve Sarkisian.
"We took him out, we addressed it, and put him back in," he said. "I mean, at that point, I'm not going to give the guy the death penalty, right, over an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. We got to fix it though, right? That can't continue as we move forward.
"And so as I touched on with the team in the locker, and we'll address that on Monday and what that looks like and how to control our emotions. ... The best thing you can do is go celebrate with a teammate."
Sarkisian lamented what he called a "look-at-me society" and said the Longhorns need to get players to "focus on the team and not so much look at me."
"So we'll try to improve upon that," he said. "But five sacks was pretty cool today, too."
Simmons' penalty breathed life into Tennessee, which had been struggling to that point.
"We got to keep our head," Texas inside linebacker Justin Cryer said. "I know he's having fun, he's excited. But we don't want to let those plays, those penalties, dictate how the game's going to go, right? We want the game to be defined by how we play ... between the whistles. Anything after, before the whistle, we can't let that happen."
Simmons had back-to-back sacks in the third quarter. He didn't celebrate after either play.
"He's the best player on this defense," defensive tackle Hero Kanu said. "Stuff happens. You know, we got to address it. He fixed it. Didn't happen again. But it goes on. The game goes on. We can't be stuck on that one penalty. Obviously, he's going to get his earful. I'm sure he's going to get his earful after meetings. But, you know, he's an amazing player, and we need guys like him."
After the game, Sarkisian struggled to recall a better individual performance than Simmons' five-sack effort.
"I've never seen anything like that," he said.
