NCAAF
Commercial
reside
Up to date 21s 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.
Comply with all our protection from our consultants at The Athletic under.
GO FURTHER
Prime 2026 NFL Draft prospects in Texas-Ohio State sport, based on Dane Brugler
Arch Manning appeared a bit jittery on his first possession, like he was seeing ghosts. He badly misfired on his first cross, and left the pocket too shortly on one other. However hey, it’s the primary drive. Loads of time to cool down.
Commercial
Not the opening drive Texas wished. Arch Manning had an open receiver the primary play of the sport, however couldn’t hit him. Texas goes for it on fourth-and-2 and is stuffed.
It’s now Julian Sayin time. We’ve heard so little about Sayin compared to Arch, however don't overlook that that is additionally a former five-star QB who deliberate to play for Nick Saban earlier than Saban retired.
Q1 10:32 – Texas 0, Ohio State 0
Arch Manning’s first completion of the sport is in need of the sticks on third-and-8. Steve Sarkisian goes for it once more on fourth-and-2 … and this time C.J. Baxter is stuffed in need of the road to achieve!
The Buckeyes take over on downs at their 42-yard line.
Hardly a storybook first drive as a starter for Manning.
Q1 13:52 – Texas 0, Ohio State 0
…and barely will get the primary down on an Arch Manning QB sneak on fourth-and-1 on the Longhorns’ 30-yard line.
That seemed very, very shut.
Q1 14:55 – Texas 0, Ohio State 0
Arch Manning’s first cross of the sport is brief, skipping in entrance of receiver DeAndre Moore.
Q1 15:00 – Texas 0, Ohio State 0
Right here we go.
Arch Manning and Texas begin on offense.
Commercial
As kickoff nears, Ohio State is a really small favourite. The Buckeyes have been favored by 2.5 factors earlier within the week, however the line moved in direction of Texas. The Longhorns have been a small favourite on Friday, but it surely’s OSU by the thinnest of margins. OSU is -115 on the moneyline and Texas is -105. It doesn’t get nearer than that with out being a real choose ‘em sport.
The Ohio State crowd appeared muted, nearly in reverence, when Lee Corso made his ultimate headgear choose.
It began roaring when Corso picked the Buckeyes. Then “The Shoe” actually began rocking because the defending nationwide champions took the sphere.
The setting in Columbus seems prefer it’s prepared to fulfill the second as we get set for kickoff.
We made it, everybody.
The crown jewel of the most effective school soccer Week 1 slate ever is simply moments away from kickoff.
Buckle up from what’s certain to be an instantaneous basic in Columbus!
What a manner for the legendary Lee Corso to exit.
Texas RBs vs. Ohio State LBs Sonny Kinds and Arvell Reese
Texas has top-of-the-line operating again depth charts in school soccer, particularly with the return of CJ Baxter, who was receiving Bijan Robinson-level hype earlier than getting harm and lacking the 2024 season. Quintrevion Wisner stepped in because the starter final season and eclipsed 1,000 yards speeding.
It gained’t be straightforward stopping that duo, however Ohio State has arguably the most effective linebacker tandem within the nation. Each Kinds and Reese are distinctive size-speed athletes who’re growing on the place when it comes to studying keys and defeating blocks. Kinds ranked No. 24 on my summer time prime 50 — and I had one scout inform me Reese “ought to have been on there, too.”
Commercial
Lee Corso, for the 431st and ultimate time, makes his ultimate headgear choose on “Faculty GameDay” after yet one more transferring tribute to the faculty soccer broadcasting legend from each ESPN — and the Ohio State marching band, spelling out his identify on the sphere.
The “Faculty GameDay” desk is moved to the midfield, and after doing his regular build-up, Lee Corso retains it brief and candy.
💬 “Give me my past love.”
Brutus Buckeye is his 431st headgear choose, identical to it was his first.
A stunning nod to Lee Corso from the Ohio State band.
Ohio State honors its nationwide championship group yet another time.
Thus far, Steve Sarkisian has delivered on huge expectations because the Longhorns’ head coach. The one drawback is that he hasn’t essentially exceeded them.
When it got here time for Texas to take the subsequent step in its rebuild below Sarkisian in 2023, the Longhorns rolled to a Large 12 championship and made the Faculty Soccer Playoff. In its first 12 months within the SEC, Texas made the convention title sport and one other CFP semifinal.
Now, with Arch Manning on the forefront, Sarkisian enters his fifth season at Texas below extra stress than ever. Unfair? Fairly presumably. 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 at this time.
I'm actually to see how Ohio State's offense seems with first-time playcaller Brian Hartline in opposition to a proficient Texas protection.
Ohio State had some points stringing constant drives collectively in opposition to 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 surface, however how Hartline calls the sport with Julian Sayin main the offense will likely be a serious storyline all through this sport.
Commercial
They gained 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 influence transfers like quarterback Will Howard, operating again Quinshon Judkins and security Caleb Downs.
However the street to get there wasn’t straightforward.
Ohio State did not even qualify for the Large Ten championship sport due to a slim loss at Oregon and a shocking defeat to overmatched archrivals Michigan at house in the course of the reguular season. The Buckeyes entered the postseason as a surprised, wounded No. 8 seed within the newly expanded Faculty Soccer Playoff.
Then they dominated.
Their first-round rout of Tennessee on a frigid Columbus evening was primarily over by the tip of the primary quarter. Ditto for his or her Rose Bowl revenge sport in opposition to Oregon. They’d more durable challenges in opposition to Texas within the semifinal and Notre Dame within the nationwide championship sport, however bought essential game-sealing performs — the aforementioned Jack Sawyer scoop-and-score in opposition to Texas and a downfield completion from Howard to star freshman wideout Jeremiah Smith within the title sport — to lastly hoist one other nationwide championship trophy.
As anticipated, Ohio State-Texas has introduced the celebs to The Shoe for at this time's sport. 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 famous person Texas quarterback Vince Younger is in the home, too.
What’s the important thing on this sport? 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 below the most popular of spotlights, on the street in opposition to the defending nationwide champion Buckeyes. Thanks, to whoever scheduled this sport to begin the season.
