Tony Thomas
Author
The Week 1 slate of college football games is loaded with mammoth matchups that will set the tone for the rest of the season and could affect the College Football Playoff right out of the gate. One of those matchups is No. 2 Ohio State hosting No. 1 Texas.
These college football blue bloods have met four times in the history of this great sport. The series record currently stands at 2-2. Last season, the Buckeyes beat the Longhorns 28-14 in the College Football Playoff semifinals on their way to a national title.
As a result of last season’s national championship campaign, the Buckeyes lost 14 elite football players to the NFL Draft. Make no mistake, both the offense and defense were gutted.
However, the Buckeyes’ talent cupboard is not completely barren. Receivers Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate are back. On defense, linebacker Sonny Styles and defensive back Caleb Downs return. But they will start an inexperienced quarterback with raw talent, presumably Julian Sayin. Sayin is fresh off a tour of duty holding a clipboard on the sidelines.
Texas will counter with quarterback Arch Manning, who has some starting experience, but will be the QB1 full-time for the first time this season. The Texas running back room is loaded with depth, including 2024 1,000-yard rusher Quintrevion Wisner. Manning will have weapons on the perimeter, with returning starters/contributors DeAndre Moore and Ryan Wingo.
The Longhorns’ defense is stout and returns seven starters. Texas will look to be in Sayin’s facemask early and often, led by DE Colin Simmons, LB Anthony Hill and safety Michael Taafe,
Ohio State has appeared in the College Football Playoffs six times since the inception of the CFP in 2014. Texas has posted back-to-back appearances in ’23 and ’24.
Within the rowdy confines of Ohio Stadium, the Buckeyes are 37-3 under head coach Ryan Day. OSU has not lost a season-opener since 2014, when they lost to Virginia Tech 35-21. Ohio State is 24-9 vs. Top 25 opponents.
But come Aug. 30, that consistency so brilliantly displayed by the Buckeyes over the years could take a hit. Before kickoff, the OSU band will dot the “i” in the Script Ohio drill.
But the Buckeyes could have both of their eyes dotted with the black and blue variety, courtesy of a Texas-size haymaker thrown all the way from Austin.
