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Up to date 10s in the past
It’s lastly right here. Arch Manning begins his tenure as Texas’ full-time beginning quarterback by main the Longhorns into Ohio Stadium to face defending nationwide champion Ohio State.
The Buckeyes might have misplaced a piece of their core from final season to the NFL ranks, however that is nonetheless a proud, (re)loaded program headlined by celebrity broad receiver Jeremiah Smith.
However Texas enters in the present day because the No. 1 group within the nation with Manning, the previous high recruit within the nation and a member of essentially the most well-known quarterbacking household within the historical past of American soccer, on the forefront.
Comply with all our protection from our specialists at The Athletic beneath.
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Ohio State-Texas quiz and important school soccer reads: What you could know in Week 1
Thus far, Steve Sarkisian has delivered on large expectations because the Longhorns’ head coach. The one downside is that he hasn’t essentially exceeded them.
When it got here time for Texas to take the subsequent step in its rebuild underneath Sarkisian in 2023, the Longhorns rolled to a Large 12 championship and made the School Soccer Playoff. In its first 12 months within the SEC, Texas made the convention title recreation and one other CFP semifinal.
Now, with Arch Manning on the forefront, Sarkisian enters his fifth season at Texas underneath extra strain than ever. Unfair? Fairly probably. A part of the territory that comes with main such a resource-heavy blue-blood program with such a passionate fanbase? Simply ask the man who will stand throughout the sideline from him in the present day.
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I'm actually to see how Ohio State's offense seems with first-time playcaller Brian Hartline towards a proficient Texas protection.
Ohio State had some points stringing constant drives collectively towards the Longhorns final 12 months and now with a first-year quarterback, there's much more uncertainty concerning this offense. The ability gamers are there on the skin, however how Hartline calls the sport with Julian Sayin main the offense shall be a serious storyline all through this recreation.
They received a nationwide championship.
That was hardly a giant shock after a number of star gamers opted to return to highschool over coming into the NFL Draft and the Buckeyes leveraged a mountain of NIL cash to herald affect transfers like quarterback Will Howard, working again Quinshon Judkins and security Caleb Downs.
However the highway to get there wasn’t simple.
Ohio State didn’t even qualify for the Large Ten championship recreation because of a slim loss at Oregon and a surprising defeat to overmatched archrivals Michigan at dwelling in the course of the reguular season. The Buckeyes entered the postseason as a shocked, wounded No. 8 seed within the newly expanded School Soccer Playoff.
Then they dominated.
Their first-round rout of Tennessee on a frigid Columbus night time was primarily over by the tip of the primary quarter. Ditto for his or her Rose Bowl revenge recreation towards Oregon. That they had more durable challenges towards Texas within the semifinal and Notre Dame within the nationwide championship recreation, however acquired essential game-sealing performs — the aforementioned Jack Sawyer scoop-and-score towards Texas and a downfield completion from Howard to star freshman wideout Jeremiah Smith within the title recreation — to lastly hoist one other nationwide championship trophy.
As anticipated, Ohio State-Texas has introduced the celebs to The Shoe for in the present day's recreation. Texas Minister of Tradition Matthew McConaughey, former Texas and North Carolina coach Mack Brown (donning a Texas pullover) and former Ohio State coach Jim Tressel all shared a pleasant second collectively pregame. Former celebrity Texas quarterback Vince Younger is in the home, too.
What’s the important thing on this recreation? Arch Manning, in fact. And it’s not nearly his final identify or his household’s lengthy historical past of quarterback success. Nope, Manning is able to show he’s the actual deal, and that begins underneath the most well liked of spotlights, on the highway towards the defending nationwide champion Buckeyes. Thanks, to whoever scheduled this recreation to start out the season.
My prediction is that it doesn’t matter what occurs, there shall be Arch Manning overreactions. From a scouting perspective, the necessary takeaway (extra so than his ultimate stat line) shall be if Manning minimizes errors in a tricky atmosphere and capitalizes on the alternatives. Steve Sarkisian’s early recreation script will ease the quarterback into the motion, and I’m anticipating incoming switch tight finish Jack Endries to play a key function (identical to Gunnar Helm did final season for Quinn Ewers). Manning appeared like a future high draft decide in his solely profession SEC begin, however that was Mississippi State, and going through Ohio State in Columbus is clearly night-and-day completely different.
The distinction on this recreation shall be whichever group has the extra constant run recreation, which is why I’m leaning Texas. Tre Wisner was strong final 12 months, and I’m excited to see a wholesome CJ Baxter again on the sphere (plus what Arch brings together with his legs). I actually appreciated what I noticed from James Peoples final season for the Buckeyes, however changing two early draft picks on the place received’t be simple. Each defenses must be robust vs. the run, particularly on the linebacker stage. Texas’ Anthony Hill Jr. and Ohio State’s Sonny Types each made my early top-50 draft board and I had one scout inform me Ohio State’s Arvell Reese shall be on my ultimate top-50 subsequent April.
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✍️ “He (Ryan Day) lastly received with a veteran-laden group and assist from his mentor. I anticipate to see the previous underachiever resurface this season.” — Commenter LD, on Cameron Teague Robinson’s great look into Ohio State’s recession-proof program.
Proper, proper. Changing 14 draft picks. A brand new quarterback on the town. Michigan is as soon as once more in a spiral for doing something stupid, which has develop into prime lure circumstances for the Buckeyes. As a dumbfounded Day stared on the circus earlier than him after his Buckeyes misplaced to the Wolverines final season, I instructed my colleagues Matt Brown and Bruce Feldman that Day would win all of it thereafter.
After which, after OSU beat Texas to make the title recreation, I had this dialog with a non-colleges desk worker at The Athletic, who’s a serious Buckeyes fan:
Don’t sleep on pretend ache for the Buckeyes. To return-to-back, Ohio State will lose to Penn State within the common season, giving PSU false hope (and actual ache), however then the Buckeyes will beat the Nittany Lions within the postseason and win all of it once more. Some OSU followers will nonetheless hate Ryan Day.
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Our specialists’ School Soccer Playoff, Heisman and nationwide title predictions for 2025
School soccer followers have been ready for this second for 3 seasons. Arch Manning has been ready so much longer than that.
So how prepared is he? Our David Ubben and Grace Raynor check out Manning’s upcoming start today at Ohio State.
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Arch Manning’s second lastly arrives as Texas visits Ohio State in epic Week 1 showdown
Arch Manning is right here!
AUSTIN, Texas — The second so many who bleed burnt orange have been ready for has practically arrived, as Arch Manning lastly takes the reins as Texas’ undisputed beginning quarterback when the Longhorns journey to Ohio State on Saturday. Manning, who was a reserve quarterback the final two years behind Quinn Ewers, has stepped into the QB1 function properly, coach Steve Sarkisian and his teammates say. However after beginning simply two video games final 12 months rather than an injured Ewers and enjoying 268 whole snaps in 12 video games of principally backup obligation in his first two seasons, Manning is solely able to play ball. “That is what I’ve been ready for,” Manning stated Monday. “Spent two years not enjoying, so I’d as nicely go have some enjoyable, proper?”
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Arch Manning takes reins as No. 1 Texas faces No. 3 Ohio State: ‘What I’ve been ready for’
The ESPN pregame present has been stuffed with tributes for iconic analyst Lee Corso, who at age 90 is retiring after in the present day. That’s already included, amongst different issues…
And Corso’s ultimate headgear decide nonetheless to return…
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The most effective tales from Lee Corso’s legendary run on ‘School GameDay’: ‘It’s leisure, sweetheart’
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On one facet of the stadium, the in-between phase hype-man was encouraging followers to stay round after the primary desk went inside to proceed to boo Portnoy.
At GameDay, the hype man was asking the gang to sing alongside to Journey for Lee Corso.
Arch Manning, rightfully so, will get a whole lot of consideration this season, and that begins in the present day as Texas travels to Ohio State. However what concerning the different former five-star QB beginning on this recreation? Should you don’t know, that’s Julian Sayin.
So who’s he? And what does he convey to the desk? Our Cameron Teague Robinson has the answers.
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Who’s Julian Sayin? Meet Ohio State’s personal 5-star QB beginning reverse Arch Manning
The distinction in scene from the Large Midday Kickoff website to GameDay is so stark and under no circumstances even comparable.
At Large Midday, an hour into the present, that they had a blue-shirted crew about half a soccer subject away from the set making an attempt to direct passersby towards the facet stage to be concerned in crowd pictures.
At GameDay, there was a fan manner within the again close to of the bustling crowd, complaining to a pal that he acquired right here early to attempt to be contained in the boundaries and near the set, and nonetheless couldn’t get shut.
I’m very desirous to see how proficient third-year sophomore OT Trevor Goosby holds up outdoors for the Longhorns towards an all the time athletic Ohio State entrance. The Buckeyes misplaced J.T. Tuimoloau, Jack Sawyer and Tyleik Williams however convey again a bunch of intriguing expertise. Seniors Kenyatta Jackson (6-6, 260) and Beau Atkinson (6-6, 265) – a North Carolina switch – are each NFL prospects and will make noise on this one for the Buckeyes. I’m additionally excited to see how Ohio State linebacker Sonny Types seems as this shall be his second full season as a stack defender.
There are roughly 30 legit 2026 NFL Draft prospects who’ll be going at it on this one. Get pleasure from.
Is it extra anticipation than strain that evelopes the No. 1 ranked Longhorns proper now? Seth Emerson argues it’s the previous as he additionally has them ranked No. 1 — on his new SEC vibes rankings, which don’t measure the efficiency of the group as a lot as, nicely, the vibes.
Which helps clarify Seth’s considerably stunning selections for Nos. 2 and three on his record coming into Week 1.
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SEC vibes rankings: Texas at high, after which, in fact … Vanderbilt?
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This week, Barry Switzer pulled out his telephone and typed out a textual content few would ever assume he’d ship.
Switzer, the legendary former Oklahoma (and Dallas Cowboys) coach, composed a message to his previous pal Archie Manning admitting that he would root for the Sooners’ rival Texas in the present day due to Archie’s grandson Arch.
The elder Manning responded, revealing Switzer was in good firm — R.C. Slocum, the legendary former head coach at Texas A&M, had additionally texted Archie admitting he was crossing fierce rivalry traces to root for Texas in the present day due to Arch.
Colour me fascinated to see the chess match between Steve Sarkisian and Matt Patricia. Anybody have that on their 2025 Bingo card this time final 12 months? Clearly these rosters are each loaded and a lot of the consideration right here goes to be on how Arch Manning performs in his first large alternative. However this recreation shall be received on the line of scrimmage with the run recreation and Texas’ assault merely has extra confirmed polish proper now – which is why I are inclined to lean towards the Longhorns. This could possibly be a giant night time for Quintrevion Wisner and C.J. Baxter.
Ryan Day has delivered a nationwide championship to Columbus, as his Buckeyes authoritatively took down 4 elite groups within the first-ever four-round School Soccer Playoff.
So he’s quieted the various, many doubters as soon as and for all. Proper?
Not precisely. The four-year dropping streak to Michigan stays, and so too do murmurs of doubt. Day, for one, is just not resting on his laurels in any respect as our Cameron Teague Robinson examines:
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Ryan Day answered critics by bringing Ohio State a title. So what occurs subsequent?
