Texas and Ohio State renew one of college football’s marquee early-season tests as the No. 1 Longhorns visit the No. 3 Buckeyes in a matchup that will help set the early pace in the playoff conversation. The last time these two met in a CFP semifinal in Arlington, Ohio State pulled away late for a 28-14 win, a result Longhorns coach Steve Sarkisian framed Monday as a compliment to the ongoing strength of the Buckeyes program under Ryan Day.
They’re really good, Sarkisian said, praising Day’s ability to recruit and build a well-coached, disciplined team. They’re not a gimmick team, he added, noting that what Ohio State does is sound and can’t be easily exploited.
In last year’s game, the difference came down to execution and a series of small advantages that OSU capitalized on in the end. Ohio State proved to be better in penalties, turnover management, and red-zone execution, and the decisive moment came when Buckeyes defensive end Jack Sawyer returned a Texas fumble 83 yards for a touchdown with 2:13 remaining.
We’ve got to be very detail-oriented and minimize the self-inflicted wounds, Sarkisian said, reflecting on last year’s game. You’ve got to take care of the ball and you’ve got to score when you have opportunities against good teams.
Longhorn safety Michael Taaffe didn’t offer excuses after the CFP semifinal loss. He acknowledged Texas wasn’t as good as Ohio State on that night, pointing to the scoreboard and the metrics that matter—turnover margin and the run game—while insisting the loss doesn’t define the program.
This year, both programs bring back nine starters from a year ago and both must replace significant NFL losses—OSU’s 14 draft picks and Texas’s 12. The quarterback spots have new faces too: Ohio State goes with redshirt freshman Julian Sayin, while Texas turns to Arch Manning, a redshirt sophomore, to run the offense.
Despite the changes, Sarkisian doesn’t expect the Buckeyes to veer from the approach that has yielded a 67-10 record for Day over the past five seasons, even as Brian Hartline shifts into the role of offensive coordinator and Matt Patricia joins the defensive staff as a new assistant.
We’ve both lost some really good veteran players, he said. But you’ve got to go into the ring with a plan and be ready to adjust as the rounds go on. There will be a plan for both sides, and there will be adjustments.
What to watch in this early-season confrontation goes beyond star power. It will test how each team handles the transition to new leaders on both sides of the ball, the ability to minimize mistakes, and the effectiveness of red-zone opportunities against two programs built on depth and discipline. The outcome could establish an early CFP pulse and set a tone for the year ahead.
Summary: A high-stakes, nationally relevant showdown between Texas and Ohio State as both reload with new quarterbacks and a wave of NFL departures. Expect a battle of turnover control, penalties, and red-zone efficiency, with both teams eager to prove they are the class of the early season.
Positive angle: The game offers a clear platform for both programs to demonstrate resilience and depth, and to showcase how well they adapt to new leadership while continuing their championship-level trajectories. If Texas or Ohio State can seize momentum and win the turnover battle, it could propel them into the early playoff conversation with a strong message to the rest of the country.
Note: No negative sentiment detected.