Ohio State is walking into a very different kind of Week 2 test.
The Buckeyes got the opener they wanted last week, rolling past Ball State 56-3 at Ohio Stadium and doing it without any injuries. Ryan Day’s group was able to spread the work around, stack some early-season snaps and leave the first weekend with the kind of clean result every coach wants. Mission accomplished.
Now the real heat turns on.
Top-ranked Ohio State heads into SEC country on Saturday night to face No. 4 Texas at Darrell K.
Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. It’s the kind of matchup that changes the tone of a season fast, and for the Buckeyes it also comes with a wrinkle they don’t usually see: they’re not the favorite.
The Longhorns are laying 1.5 points at home.
That’s the betting angle, and it’s the question being asked this week: can Ohio State defy the odds and keep its run against Texas going?
This is the sixth meeting between the programs and the third in the last three seasons. Ohio State owns the all-time edge, 3-2, and has won the last two, including a 24-14 victory in the 2024 College Football Playoff and a 14-7 win last year at the Horseshoe in the first game of this home-and-home setup.
Texas, meanwhile, is trying to answer a different question: can it grab a signature win over a top opponent?
The Longhorns opened with a 59-7 win over Texas State, and there was plenty to like on offense. Steve Sarkisian, who calls the plays, spent the offseason looking to juice a unit that averaged 388.5 yards per game in 2025, a number that ranked No. 70 nationally. The return of senior quarterback Arch Manning gives Texas a familiar face at the controls, and he showed up in Week 1 with 304 passing yards, four touchdowns and an interception.
Ryan Wingo was also a problem for Texas State, catching seven passes for 121 yards and a touchdown. The Longhorns added more firepower this offseason too, bringing in former Auburn receiver Cam Coleman, former NC State running back Hollywood Smothers and former Arizona State running back Raleek Brown.
Coleman made an immediate splash with three catches for 70 yards and two touchdowns. Smothers ran 10 times for 70 yards, while Brown logged 11 carries for 34 yards and two scores.
Defensively, Texas has a new voice in charge after Sarkisian replaced Pete Kwiatkowski with Will Muschamp as coordinator. The Longhorns gave up 349 yards in Week 1, and senior defensive back Jelani McDonald led the team with eight tackles. Up front, the names to watch are defensive end Colin Simmons and former Pittsburgh linebacker Rasheem Biles, but it was former Ohio State defensive tackle Hero Kanu Maraad Watson who recorded a sack against the Bobcats.
Kickoff is set for just after 7:30 p.m. ET on ABC.
In Other News...
Ohio State Fans Will Want To See Yetis New Buckeyes Gear
Ohio State fans looking to add a little scarlet and gray to their everyday carry now have a new option from Yeti. The company has rolled out a limited-edition 26-ounce Rambler water bottle in Buckeyes branding as part of its Collegiate Fandom Collection, giving supporters a chance to rep the program with a familiar piece of gear built from stainless steel and double-wall vacuum insulation.
The bottle comes with Yetis TripleHaul Handle and Chug Cap, and it is dishwasher safe, with an optional straw cap sold separately. It is one of 12 college football designs in the collection, but the Buckeyes version is not a permanent run, since it will be discontinued once current inventory is gone. [Read more 🡒]
Urban Meyer Sees Ohio State Texas Coming Down To One Big Play
Urban Meyer isnt treating Ohio States trip to Texas like a heavyweight mismatch. The former Buckeyes coach called the Week 2 showdown a coin toss after both teams opened the season in impressive fashion, and he pointed to the quarterbacks as the center of it all, with Julian Sayin and Arch Manning expected to carry much of the spotlight when the game kicks off on ABC.
Austin adds another layer to a matchup that already feels like it could swing on a single mistake or a single burst of execution. Texas has been tough at home, and Meyer made clear that the environment will matter, which only raises the stakes for Ohio State as it heads into one of the biggest early-season games on the calendar with little separating the two teams. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Heads To Texas With One Early Concern Looming
Texas opened the season with a win over Texas State and now turns its attention to a Week 2 home game against Ohio State, a matchup that already carries plenty of early-season intrigue. The Buckeyes, meanwhile, are coming off their own opener against Ball State and will be trying to settle in on both sides of the ball after making changes along the offensive line and defense.
One of the first things Ohio State will have to monitor in Austin is Texas health on defense and in the backfield. Running back Derrek Cooper is expected to miss the game after an ankle injury, and safety Yaheim Riley also did not dress in the opener, leaving the Longhorns with some uncertainty to sort through before the Buckeyes arrive. [Read more 🡒]