Ohio State HC Ryan Day Previews Matchup vs. Texas Longhorns QB Arch Manning

Much is anticipated from the Texas Longhorns' season opener against the defending national champion Ohio State Buckeyes in Columbus. The Longhorns will look to avenge their College Football Playoff Semifinal loss from a season ago and herald in the Arch Manning era at Texas with a hot start.

The excitement for Texas' week one clash against Ohio State isn't just felt by the fans or analysts but also by the head coaches of both teams. At Big Ten Media Days on Tuesday, Ohio State head coach Ryan Day spoke about the upcoming matchup with the Longhorns to open the 2025 season.

He also had some major praise for Manning, calling him "a tremendous talent."

Ohio State Coach Ryan Day Talks Texas Longhorns

“(Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian)’s got a great team and he’s a great coach,” Day said. “Arch is just a tremendous talent. One of the best young guys to come through college football in a long time. He’s gonna be very, very good and likely one of the best quarterbacks in the country this year. So we know what the challenge is going to be week one, and we’re working towards that. We’re fired up about having this monster game in week one and it’s really got our attention in a big way. I’m excited that we’re at home for it.”

Under Sarkisian, the Longhorns have been one of the better road teams in all of college football, with big victories in some of the more hostile environments in the sport. Dating back to 2023, Texas earned a big victory over Alabama in Tuscaloosa that ended a 21-game winning streak at Bryant-Denny Stadium, which kickstarted the Longhorns rise towards the top of college football.

And last season, the Longhorns traveled to the "Big House" in the second game of the season to take on the then-defending national champion Michigan Wolverines. In a game that was much hyped, the Longhorns walked into Ann Arbor and dominated from the jump, cruising to a 31-12 victory. Later in the year, Texas traveled to Kyle Field to take on the Texas A&M Aggies and once again pulled off a victory in one of the toughest venues to play at in college football.

As the full-time head coach at Ohio State since 2019, Day's record at home sits at an impressive 37-3 with the only losses coming to heated rival Michigan twice and the Oregon Ducks. With Day leading the Buckeyes, Ohio Stadium has been one of the toughest places for opposing teams to compete in which will be tested with the Longhorns in Week 1.

Manning and the Longhorns have the opportunity to continue the stretch of big-time away victories with their visit to Ohio State, which stands just a few weeks away on Aug. 30.