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Ohio State vs. Texas: Five reasons Buckeyes will beat Longhorns in Week 1 showdown
Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning (16) played sparingly against Ohio State last season in the College Football Playoff semifinal. | Tim Heitman-Imagn Images

Ohio State vs. Texas: Five reasons Buckeyes will beat Longhorns in Week 1 showdown

By Eric Smithling  |  Last updated Aug 30, 2025 9:02 AM ET

It's one of the biggest Week 1 games in college football history. 

On Saturday, the Associated Press preseason No. 1 Texas Longhorns and No. 3 Ohio State Buckeyes will meet in Columbus (Fox, noon ET). It's a rematch of last season's College Football Playoff semifinal won by Ohio State 28-14.

The winner will stake an early claim as the best in the country. Here are five reasons why that will be Ohio State.

1. Jeremiah Smith | Ohio State has the best wide receiver in the country, and Texas doesn't. It's as simple as that. 

Don't expect a repeat of last season's performance from Smith against the Longhorns, when the 2025 preseason Heisman candidate was held to a season-low three yards on one reception. It was by far Smith's least productive game — he averaged five receptions, 87.5 yards receiving and one touchdown per game in his 15 other games as a freshman.

Per AP's Jim Vertuno, Smith spoke about his anticipation for the opener during preseason camp, saying, “I’m definitely hyped about this one, especially with how things went last year.

“I’m definitely hungry for this one, for sure.”

At Texas, cornerback Malik Muhammad discussed bracing for Smith looking to make a statement after being shut out the last time the teams met.

"I’m sure he’s overly motivated, especially coming out of that game last year,” Muhammad said.

As much as the Longhorns try, they won't be able to stop Smith two games in a row. And if that talented sophomore gets going, Ohio State can be unstoppable.

2. Home-field advantage | Ohio State is 27-2 in its past 29 home games, with its two losses coming to nemesis Michigan. Since his first season as head coach in 2019, Buckeyes HC Ryan Day is 37-3 at Ohio Stadium

Saturday marks the seventh time in program history that Ohio State has hosted the No. 1 team in the country and first since 1985, when it defeated Iowa 22-13.

Since 2016, the Buckeyes are 11-2 at home against AP top-10 teams, including three consecutive wins.

The Longhorns lost their last road game as the No. 1 team to the Texas Tech Red Raiders, a  39-33 classic on Nov. 1, 2008.

We can only hope Saturday's game is just as thrilling, regardless of the outcome. 

3. Arch Manning's first test | Manning gets his third career start but first true test. The most-hyped quarterback prospect in years filled in for an injured Quinn Ewers last September at home against Louisiana-Monroe and Mississippi State, going 41-of-60 (68.3 percent) for 583 yards (9.7 yards per attempt), four touchdown passes and two interceptions and rushing for 29 yards. Those teams were a combined 7-17 in 2024, and both ranked near the bottom in FBS in scoring defense.

Neither comes close to presenting the challenge of facing Ohio State in Columbus, which will be too much for Manning.

4. Returning (and additional) defensive talent | Despite losing eight defenders in the 2025 NFL Draft, Ohio State returns several contributors from last season's championship squad. Edge-rushers Caden Curry and Kenyatta Jackson combined for 30 total pressures in secondary roles a season ago behind seniors Jack Sawyer and JT Tuimoloau and should build on those numbers with more snaps.

Senior Sonny Styles returns for his third season as starting linebacker, while junior safety Caleb Downs, a 2024 unanimous All-American, enters his second season with the Buckeyes after beginning his collegiate career at Alabama.

Returning senior corners Davison Igbinosun and Lorenzo Styles Jr. and junior Jermaine Mathews Jr. round out a veteran secondary, which also added five-star freshman Devin Sanchez, the No. 1 corner of the 2025 class, this offseason.

5. Texas' youth will cost it | Texas had to replace a bunch of departing talent, too. The program watched 12 players become 2025 NFL Draft picks, including three in Round 1 and six within the first two days of the three-day event.

The Longhorns replaced both starting offensive tackles and are expected to start sophomores Brandon Baker and Trevor Goosby. Sophomores Ryan Wingo and Emmett Mosley V, a Stanford Cardinal transfer, are among the younger wideouts who must produce for Texas to leave Week 1 with a win. It's possible. But likely? We doubt it.

Eric Smithling
Twitter/X Muck Rack

Eric Smithling is a writer based in New Orleans, LA, whose byline also appears on Athlon Sports. He has been with Yardbarker since September 2022, primarily covering the NFL and college football, but also the NBA, WNBA, men’s and women’s college basketball, NHL, tennis and golf. He holds a film studies degree from the University of New Orleans

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