Ohio State and Texas are set to meet for the third season in a row. Here is everything you need to know about the Buckeyes and Longhorns.

The top-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes are heading to Austin, Texas, to face the No. 4-ranked Texas Longhorns in what is set to be arguably the biggest college football game of the season. These teams have plenty of history with each other, and there will be some of the biggest stars in the game on the field at all times.

It started back in 2024 in the Cotton Bowl, which was one of the semifinal games that season. Ohio State’s defense made an incredible goal-line stand capped off by one of the biggest plays in program history – Jack Sawyer’s 83-yard scoop-and-score to seal the 28-14 win. That win sent the Buckeyes to Atlanta, where they defeated the Notre Dame Fighting Irish 34-23 to win the College Football National Championship.

To start the 2025 season, the Longhorns came to Columbus and fell to the Buckeyes 14-7 in a game that kicked off the college football season for both teams. That meant two straight losses for Texas to Ohio State, and two wins for Ohio State in three games, with the championship nestled in between.

Fast forward to this year, and it is yet another elite clash featuring two of the biggest names in the sport. With one game at a neutral site and the other at Ohio State, this will be the first edition of the mini rivalry at Texas. It will be Julian Sayin and Jeremiah Smith facing off against Arch Manning and Cam Coleman in what should be yet another classic.

Buckeyes Handle Business Against Ball State

Both teams had much easier tune-ups ahead of the big Week 2 game. Ohio State took care of business at home with a 56-3 victory over Ball State and was able to get all of their new faces on the field in all three phases.

Julian Sayin steadied the offense and showed off the accuracy that made him a Heisman finalist just a season ago. He finished the game 21/25 for 320 passing yards and four total touchdowns. Jeremiah Smith needed just one half to haul in eight receptions for 151 yards and two scores. New addition Devin McCuin filled in the Carnell Tate role very well with six catches for 97 yards and a score. Legend Bey and Chris Henry Jr. both hauled in their first touchdown catches as well.

The ground game and offensive line both struggled in the first half but turned it on in the second half. Transfer Ja’Kobi Jackson and returning starter Bo Jackson both finished with 83 yards on the ground and both sprang touchdown runs of 49 yards or more. Legend Bey and Isaiah West were the other two Buckeyes who had at least five carries and at least 27 rushing yards in the opener.

The defense flew around the field as they tried to replicate the dominance they showed a season ago. They held Ball State to 120 passing yards, 45 rushing yards with less than two yards per carry, just three points, and forced a turnover. A plethora of Buckeyes got lots of action, led by TJ Alford’s interception and Epi Sitanilei’s sack. Nine Buckeyes had at least half of a tackle for loss, and Riley Pettijohn led the defense with six tackles.

It will be key for the Ohio State offense to get into a rhythm against Texas, as they play a night game in a hostile environment. We will need to see the second-half version from the running game and offensive line against a tough Longhorns defense. However, one of this team’s strengths is Julian Sayin, Jeremiah Smith, and the passing attack, which features a handful of dangerous weapons.

The defense did a good job swarming to the ball but will need to work on bringing the ball carrier to the ground a little better than they did in week one. Texas has plenty of playmakers, and allowing no extra yards will be critical to limiting their drives and points.

Longhorns Dominate Texas State in Week 1

Similar to Ohio State, Texas looked the part en route to a big 59-7 win over Texas State. With some new additions mixed with veterans, an easier Week 1 opponent helped them prepare for the Buckeyes by letting everyone see the field and mesh.

Arch Manning led the Texas offense and finished 20/27 for 305 passing yards and four touchdowns, but also threw an interception. Ryan Wingo led the receivers with seven catches for 121 yards and a touchdown. Auburn transfer Cam Coleman hauled in two touchdowns to go along with 70 receiving yards, while North Carolina State transfer Hollywood Smothers hauled in the other touchdown.

Smothers also led the rushing attack for the Longhorns, finishing the game with ten carries for 70 yards. Arizona State transfer Raleek Brown had two of the three rushing touchdowns but had just 34 yards on 11 carries, with James Simon having the other rushing touchdown.

The Longhorns defense recovered two fumbles and forced an interception while limiting Texas State to seven points. Texas State finished the game with 188 passing yards and 161 rushing yards. The defense registered two sacks and eight tackles for loss, led by former Buckeye Hero Kanu, who had one and a half tackles for loss. Defensive back Jelani McDonald led the way with eight tackles and seven solo tackles, with a tackle for loss as well.

It is too early to say how this Buckeyes defense will relate to the past two defenses, but the Longhorns will need to move the ball better than they have in the past two meetings if they want to win. They also have a wealth of offensive talent, and getting the ball out in space will be vital to give Manning confidence to move it.

On defense, they will have their hands full but will need to limit the big play that has hurt them in the two losses to the Buckeyes the last two years. They will look to get Sayin and the passing game out of sync while also disrupting the offensive line in the process.

Round 3: Who Rings The Bell?

Ohio State looks for three wins in three years against Texas while the Longhorns look to defend home field and get their revenge. For the Buckeyes, there will be pressure on Julian Sayin to perform in his first truly tough road test besides the TTUN game last season. He performed well in that game but did not finish the season strong against Indiana and Miami (Fl.). We will need receivers outside of Jeremiah Smith to step up and prove they can contribute in the passing game when it gets tougher.

Similarly for Texas, they will look to get their weapons outside of Cam Coleman going, as he will draw plenty of attention, although maybe not as much as Smith. Both teams struggled for major parts of their week one openers in the run game, as Ohio State had first-half struggles and Texas couldn’t consistently create outside of a long run by Hollywood Smothers.

On defense, both lines have plenty of talent and will look to get in the backfield early and often, disrupting offenses’ rhythms and quarterbacks. For Ohio State, young defensive players will take advantage of their reps. For Texas, forcing turnovers and sacks will make the home-field advantage go even further in their favor.

Prediction + Bets

This could definitely be a game that comes down to the wire. The spread opened as a pick ‘em, with the current spread sitting at Texas -1.5. The over/under opened at 47.5 and is now 49.5. Texas is -122 on the moneyline while Ohio State is +102.

Everyone is doubting the Buckeyes in a tough environment given how they fared against top teams late last season. Texas is getting a lot of the publicity because of Arch Manning, and the fact that they could be “due” for a win after dropping the last two against the Scarlet and Gray. However, I think the Orange and white will have their hands full.

Pressure is a huge aspect of any game, and all the pressure is on Texas, in my opinion. They’ve dropped two games to Ohio State in two years. They missed the playoffs last year and haven’t won a national championship in a while. They are the ones playing at home with supposedly a once-in-a-generation quarterback. Yes, Ohio State also has a tough schedule and could use this win, but I think they will play a little looser than most think while being led by their leaders on both sides of the ball.

Ryan Day’s squad will weather the early storm and get some chunk plays through new faces Devin McCuin and Legend Bey. The defense will bend but not break, forcing a key second-half turnover. The Buckeyes might trail early but finish strong to pick up their first huge win of the year, proving that they own Steve Sarkisian and the Longhorns.

Prediction: Ohio State 24, Texas 21