Tee TIME IN TEXAS: Ohio state at texas game preview

Texas and Ohio State matchup in a rematch of last year‘s 14 to 7 beginning of the season thriller in which both defenses shined.

On the surface, the highlight of this game are the two teams offenses. Highlighted by guys Arch Manning, Cam, Coleman, Jeremiah Smith, Julian Sayin, Raleek Brown and more. The two teams combine for a whopping 7 projected first rounders.

However, the defining factor that decides who’s gonna leave Austin victorious on Saturday night has nothing to do with the stars in the receiver room.

Last season, Ohio State saw their games against Indiana and Miami ruined due to elite defensive line play from Rueben Bain, Akheem Mesidor, and Mikail Kamara. The trio absolutely destroyed Ohio State‘s offensive line, killing their season before it even started in the playoffs and Big Ten championship.

However, nearly the entire offensive line group for these Buckeyes returns from a year ago with almost no changes made.

Texas’s defensive line of Hero Kanu , Alex January, and especially superstar projected top five pick Colin Simmons coming off the edge is simply gonna be too much for the Buckeyes offensive line to handle.

While Jeremiah Smith, Brandon Innis, and Texas native Brock Boyd will put up points and make plays, when it comes to crunch time on third down in the fourth quarter, I trust Colin Simmons and the Texas defensive line more than I trust Ohio State’s offensive line.

Key Matchups:

Outside of the offensive line matchup though, here are the key matchups that will define this game:

On the outside for Texas the only strategy to stop the Ohio State offense is going to be to double Jeremiah Smith. With the trio of the experienced Jelani McDonald, and sophomores Kobe Black and Grayson Littleton, choosing a DB one in this Texas secondary is difficult.

However, in this matchup expect McDonald to be tasked with Jeremiah Smith with Black in the slot and Littleton as CB2. Littleton will likely be across from Brandon Innis, who needs a big game for the buckeyes to keep the Longhorns from doubling over the top with safety Kade Phillips on Jeremiah Smith. The matchup between McDonald and Smith will define how aggressive the Texas defensive line can be.

The matchup I have circled the most however for this Buckeyes offense is the matchup between Kobe Black and either Brock Boyd or UTSA transferred Devon McCuin in the slot.

Both McCuin and Boyd are each relatively inexperienced at this level with Boyd being a freshman and McCuin coming over from a group of 4 program. Boyd and McCuin will likely rotate for the buckeyes in the slot. if McCuin and Boyd cannot produce ,expect them to lean on running back Bo Jackson a lot more than Ryan Day likely wants to look against an extremely experienced defensive front of the Longhorns that running the ball against will be difficult.

Your key players on offense for the buckeyes are going to be Devon McCuin and Brock Boyd on the outside, along with the entire offensive line, who has the difficult task of facing an elite Longhorn defensive line.

For the Longhorns, the matchup flips to the run game. Running back transfer Raleek Brown looks to come alive in his new role as RB1 for the Longhorns. Brown transfers in from ASU, where he tallied 1000+ yards as the Sun Devils RB1 a year ago. Brown will need to find a rythm if the Longhorns want to beat the Buckeyes

Almost nobody gained yards through the air on the Buckeyes a year ago. However, the group lost Davison Igbinoseun and Caleb downs over the off-season, leaving them vulnerable in the secondary for the first time in years. Downs was a first-round pick and commanded the entire defense a year ago. Against Texas a year ago, Downs tallied 11 total tackles. Replacing this production will be difficult for Ryan Days defense.

The buckeyes replaced these losses with former five star CB and Texas native Devon Sanchez along Florida State safety transfer Earl Little. Sanchez plugs in as the Buckeyes CB1 while Little replaces Downs as the Buckeyes free safety. Very big shoes to fill against an elite Texas receiving core.

Little and Sanchez will be the key players on the outside for the Buckeyes trying to contain a wide receiver core of Emmett Mosley, who is entering his fourth year as a starter in college football, and Ryan Wingo and Cam Coleman, both projected first rounders on the outside for the Longhorns.

Texas HC Steve Sarkisian has truly created a 1A 1B wide receiver system in Austin with the duo of Wingo and Coleman. Coleman transferred from Auburn over the offseason, where he has been the Tigers WR1 for two seasons.

Another key matchup for the Longhorns will be the ability of Arch Manning to run the ball against this Ohio State defensive line. Last year, Texas got absolutely nothing going on the ground against the Buckeyes line and forced themselves into a plethora of obvious passing situations. The Longhorns are going to need to find balance to change this result in 2026.

An inexperienced Ohio State secondary is coupled with an extremely experienced front seven. With guys like Kenyatta Jackson and Eddrick Houston returning for the Buckeyes, the Longhorns could find themselves struggling to move the ball on the ground yet again, making balance an issue for play caller and HC Steve Sarkisian.

If Manning can establish himself as a runner against the Buckeyes, the possibilities are endless for Sarkesian as a play caller, opening up the entire Longhorns offense.

Circle the matchup on the outside between Cam Coleman and new Buckeyes CB1 Sanchez as a deciding factor of whether this will be a pass first or run first game for the Longhorns. If Coleman can have his way with Sanchez, this will be a long day for a young and relatively inexperienced OSU secondary. Safety Jaylen McClain will also play a big role for the Buckeyes.

The Texas receiving core will be too much for a new transfer heavy Ohio State secondary, and the Texas D line led by Alex January, Ohio State transfer Hero Kanu, and superstar Colin Simmons will be too much for Ohio States offensive line that has not shown me much from a year ago.

I expect the Longhorns to win by at least two possessions in Austin but the Buckeyes and Jeremiah Smith will keep it close. Expect an absolutely electric top five matchup in on Saturday night regardless.