The 2026 season isn’t wasting any time throwing haymakers. For Ohio State, the gauntlet begins early-Week 2, to be exact-when the Buckeyes head to Austin to face the Texas Longhorns at DKR Stadium. It’s the first of five high-stakes matchups that could define their season, with Indiana, USC, Oregon, and the annual showdown with that team up north all looming on the schedule.
That trip to Texas, though, is already drawing national attention-and for good reason. The Longhorns are riding high after a strong finish to 2025, and there’s a sense of confidence brewing in Austin.
Texas came away with a 14-7 win in Columbus last year, and now they get the Buckeyes on their turf. The buzz around this rematch is real.
A big part of that optimism centers around Arch Manning. The last time these two teams met, Manning was making his first big-time start.
He flashed talent but also showed his inexperience, throwing a costly interception in a game where Texas actually outgained Ohio State in both total yards and first downs. The stat sheet favored the Longhorns, but the turnover battle told a different story-six giveaways to Ohio State’s two.
That was the difference.
But Manning isn’t that same green quarterback anymore. He’s grown-on the field and in the moment.
Just look at the way he closed out the 2025 regular season. Against a then-undefeated Texas A&M, Manning threw for 179 yards and a touchdown, then iced the game with a 35-yard touchdown run that ended the Aggies’ perfect run and, for the second straight year, kept them out of the conference title game.
That was a statement win.
And while bowl games can be tricky to evaluate thanks to opt-outs and roster changes, Manning’s performance in the Citrus Bowl against Michigan still turned heads. He broke the game open late with a 60-yard touchdown run that effectively sealed a 41-27 win for the Longhorns. Again, his legs made the difference-and that dual-threat element could be a serious problem for Ohio State this time around.
That said, both teams are entering 2026 with very different rosters. The NFL draft and the ever-chaotic transfer portal have reshaped both squads.
Ohio State, in particular, is expected to take a step back defensively, especially at linebacker-a position group that’s been a cornerstone of their recent success. Meanwhile, Texas has seen its own share of departures but has also reloaded with high-end talent through the portal and recruiting.
This won’t be a carbon copy of last year’s matchup. The schemes will evolve, the personnel will be different, but the stakes remain sky-high.
And while both Ryan Day and Steve Sarkisian have proven they can win big games, the edge might come down to something as simple-and significant-as location. This time, it’s Texas with the home-field advantage, and that could be the X-factor in a game that’s shaping up to be one of the early highlights of the college football season.