No. 1 Ohio State vs. No. 4 Texas: What to know about Week 2 blockbuster

Texas got its rematch eight months later and lost again.

Ohio State won 14-7 in Columbus despite Texas holding the Buckeyes to 203 total yards. The Longhorns didn't score until late in the fourth quarter and came away empty on several promising drives.

Arch Manning and Julian Sayin have come a long way

Neither quarterback lit up the scoreboard in last year's meeting.

Arch Manning completed 17 of 30 passes for 170 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Julian Sayin, making his first college start, threw for just 126 yards and one score.

Things looked considerably different in Week 1 this year.

Manning threw for 305 yards and four touchdowns as Texas demolished Texas State 59-7. Sayin threw for 320 yards and three scores during Ohio State's 56-3 victory over Ball State.

The quarterbacks who combined for 296 passing yards against each other last season combined for 625 in their 2026 debuts.

This could be a College Football Playoff preview

Calling any Week 2 game a must-win would be excessive, especially with the expanded playoff.

That doesn't make this an ordinary September game.

Ohio State and Texas are both among the leading national championship contenders. PFF noted this is one of only two currently scheduled games between top-five teams all season, and both programs rank among the top three in national championship odds.

The loser can recover. The winner leaves Saturday night with one of the best résumé victories anyone in college football will have all season.

Texas has something else at stake.

Losing to Ohio State in a playoff semifinal was painful. Losing again eight months later made it a trend.

A third straight loss, this time in Austin, would turn Ohio State into a problem Texas can no longer ignore.