COLUMBUS, OH — In what was billed as one of the biggest and most historical opening games in college football history, No.3-ranked Ohio State upset No.1 Arch Manning-led Texas, 14-7, in front of a record crowd of 107,524.
Manning, the highly-touted favorite to win the Heisman and be selected QB1 in the 2026 NFL Draft, looked shaky, rattled and tentative in his first true road start as QB1 for Texas.
And clearly you could tell that Ohio State used that other to their advantage. For the game, Manning completed 17-30 passses for 170 yards, one touchdown and one interception.
Manning also added 38 yards on ten carries.
While Arch isn’t your typical Manning quarterback, and while he didn’t have the best start you’d expect from someone with such a famous surname as his, but with all the expectations and success that comes with it, Arch will have to bounce back—and quickly.
The loud and raucous crowd played a factor in causing two false starts for a new offensive line playing together on the road as a unit for the first time.
For the game, Texas had six penalties for 60 yards.
For Ohio State, not to say that thu may have found their starter in QB Julian Sayin, but when it came time to play, Sayin looked the part in completing 13-20 passes for 126 yards and one touchdown pass, a 40-yarder to WR Carnell Tate early in the fourth quarter.
Sayin also gave glimpses of a more mobile and quick-tempo offense, in completing passes to six different receivers.
On the ground, the Buckeyes may have found themselves a perfect replacement in the dearly departed TreVeyon Henderson in West Virginia transfer running back CJ Donaldson Jr, who rushed for 67 yards and one touchdown on 19 carries.
If the Buckeyes hope to defend their national title—and finally beat That Team Up North—they will need to find a balance between operating at a quick and effective pace that suits Sayin’s skill set, while also getting the ball into his playmakers effectively.
While this afternoon’s game was just the first one of many, some could consider it a dress rehearsal of what will be a long season with high expectations and finally solving Michigan.
Today, aside from the Manning hype train, was a good start in the right direction.