Ohio State’s opener was tidy, lopsided and exactly what you’d expect against Ball State. The real measuring stick arrives Saturday night in Austin.
After rolling to a 56-3 win in Week 1, the Buckeyes are heading into their first major test of the season against Texas, a road game Ryan Day made clear has been circled for months. Day said the challenge is part of the plan Ohio State built its offseason around.
“Obviously a great opponent. They have, you know, really good talent across, across the, the board,” Day said.
“So going down there is, is something that we've obviously, you know, been working towards all summer and looking forward to. They have a great program and a great team, so it's going to be a great environment.
But this is what we're going to have to do this year. When you look at our schedule, we're going to have to be able to go on the road and win games like this.
So our preseason, our offseason was all designed around this. So, you know, it's here, time to go prepare for these guys.”
There’s also a personal layer to this one for a handful of Buckeyes. Eight Ohio State players are from Texas, including Legend Bay, Brock Boyd, Payton Pierce and Devin Sanchez.
Sanchez, a Buckeyes cornerback, is expected to take on a major assignment against Texas wide receiver Cam Coleman, who is described as the Longhorns’ best offensive weapon. For Sanchez, the chance to play in his home state carries obvious meaning.
“Uh, it's gonna be great, um, great environment, um, playing close to home,” Sanchez said. “So it's just, you know, hoping that I can get a lot of family there. But, you know, regardless, it's just having my mom and dad there, you know, seeing me play back in my home state.”
The matchup also flips last season’s result, when Ohio State beat Texas in Ohio Stadium. This time, the Buckeyes are going to Austin as a slight underdog, with both teams putting undefeated records on the line Saturday night.
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After Week 1, the Big Ten mostly stayed in line with expectations, and Ohio State was right where it wanted to be near the top after a decisive opening win. Indiana joined the Buckeyes in holding onto the conferences upper tier, a sign that the leagues early order is already taking shape even if most teams still have plenty to prove.
Michigan, meanwhile, created the first real headache in the standings, squeezing out a narrow and controversial win that left more questions than answers. Rutgers also took a hit with an upset loss, and with early-season results already nudging the rankings around, the next few weeks should tell us far more about which teams are actually built to stay there. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Is Suddenly In Play For Two Huge 2028 Targets
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Among the names worth tracking are five-star wide receiver Braylon Clark and four-star safety Jalen Flowers, both of whom have Ohio State among their top schools. The Buckeyes already have commitments from several offensive and defensive prospects, and the staff is clearly pushing to build on that foundation while the 2028 board is still forming. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan Already Has A Problem Ohio State Fans Will Love
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Michigans immediate task is straightforward, even if the pressure around it is not: stack together convincing performances and avoid leaving any doubt for the poll voters. After the opening-week escape against Western Michigan, the Wolverines do not have much margin for error, and they will need a much cleaner run in the weeks ahead to climb back into the Top 25. [Read more 🡒]