Ohio State hosts Texas in a massive Week 1 showdown featuring Arch Manning, Julian Sayin, and major playoff implications.

The eyes of the College Football world will begin the season right where they ended last year: on Ryan Day and The Ohio State Buckeyes. Columbus is the epicenter of Week 1 as Ohio State hosts Texas in a massive showdown to open the 2025 campaign. 

This game serves as a rematch of last year’s instant classic College Football Playoff semifinal, but this time around, the narrative is headlined by new faces, bold predictions, and major playoff implications right out of the gate.

Texas enters the season with momentum, hype, and headlines swirling around their new starting quarterback, Arch Manning. Now in his third year in Austin, Manning finally takes over full-time under center. National analysts, media outlets, and even ESPN’s Paul Finebaum have all thrown fuel on the Longhorns’ fire. Finebaum even boldly guaranteed a Texas win in Columbus. That kind of bulletin board material won’t sit quietly in Ryan Day’s locker room.

Paul Finebaum is convinced Texas will beat Ohio State:

The experience of (Arch Manning) being an understudy to Ewers and understanding Sark’s system is what’s going to get them over the top and probably — well, not probably — definitely beat Ohio State in the opener.” pic.twitter.com/RZi9mG3bEV

— The Silver Bulletin (@tSilverBulletin) July 11, 2025

But lost in the Texas noise is the reality of what the Longhorns are replacing. After back-to-back semifinal losses, Steve Sarkisian’s team must fill major holes along both the offensive and defensive lines. Many of those replacements are also coming from the transfer portal. Replacing NFL talent in the trenches is not an easy feat, especially in an environment as hostile as Ohio Stadium.

Meanwhile, Ohio State reloads with perhaps the most dangerous duo in the country: sophomore phenom wide receiver Jeremiah Smith and safety Caleb Downs. These Buckeyes are the two best players in the country, regardless of position. Smith leads a dynamic receiver room that includes Carnell Tate, Brandon Inniss, and versatile transfer tight end/slot hybrid Max Klare, who will be a matchup nightmare for defenses this fall.

Under center for the Buckeyes is expected to be five-star Julian Sayin, who has yet to start a collegiate game. However, while Sayin may be untested, he won’t be unprepared. Sayin doesn’t need to be Superman. 

He will be surrounded by elite talent and backed by a raucous home crowd. The youngster needs to be poised and distribute the ball, play within himself, and avoid mistakes. That’s the formula for success in a big-time collision as a new starting quarterback. 

Defensively, both programs face growing pains. New starters will line up for each team, and while there may be more points scored than in the Cotton Bowl Classic last season, the Buckeyes have elite anchors like Caleb Downs and Sonny Styles to help stabilize the transition. The Longhorns, too, bring talent, but both units will be tested early and often.

“We’re gonna put on a show, a lot of people have been doubting us… I can’t wait to prove a lot of people wrong this year”

Jeremiah Smith says the team is working harder in the weight room. He says they’ve been pushed hard with guys growing into their new roles. pic.twitter.com/lQ8al97DSd

— Adam King (@AdamKing10TV) July 13, 2025

This is a playoff-caliber matchup in Week 1. The winner secures a major resume data point, but the loser remains very much in the playoff race. But with stakes this high and so much on the line, there’s more than just momentum up for grabs.

Texas may be dominating the preseason conversation, but Ohio State hears the noise. They’re focused, motivated, and hungry to defend their place atop the sport. As Jeremiah Smith recently said, this team is locked in and ready for the moment.