By admin 
After a warm-up performance for the Ohio State Buckeyes, it was also a breeze for the Ohio State on SI staff this past week. Dylan Buganski, Rafael Zamorano, and I correctly predicted the top-ranked Buckeyes would coast in their season opener vs. Ball State.
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Up next is a highly anticipated rematch against the No. 4-ranked Texas Longhorns and quarterback Arch Manning, a key marquee game during a loaded Week 2 in college football across the Big Ten and the country.
Can the Buckeyes make it three in a row against a perennial SEC favorite? Let’s find out.
Before sharing our predictions, here are a few basic storylines to know entering the top-five matchup.
What To Know Before Ohio State-Texas Rematch
Date: Saturday, Sept. 12
Time: 7:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. PT
TV Channel: ABC (consult TV Guide or preferred streaming provider for details).
Odds: Texas -1.5; over/under is 49.5.
Location: DKR-Memorial Stadium – Austin, Texas
Ohio State’s record under Ryan Day: 83-12 (2-0 in head-to-head games vs. the Longhorns)
Last time vs. Texas: Last season, Week 1 in Columbus: 14-7 Ohio State win
Pregame festivities: College GameDay will be on-site in Austin.
Ohio State so far this season: 1-0 (0-0 Big Ten)
STANDINGS:
- Zain Bando, 1-0
- Dylan Buganski: 1-0
- Rafael Zamorano, 1-0
Zain Bando: Texas 24, Ohio State 20
Sometimes, a season isn’t defined by perfection (unless it’s related to the Indiana Hoosiers). For Ohio State, winning its second national title in three years is still the goal. But it will have to come with a bit of adversity, which is where a long travel spree and Saturday night pressure could derail a signature win for Ryan Day’s team.
A logical argument could be made that the Longhorns have more to lose. After all, quarterback Arch Manning and his coach, Steve Sarkisian, have had over a year to think about the loss. The Longhorns were left out of the CFP conversation entirely last year. Had they won in Columbus in Week 1, the narrative might be different. And, quite frankly, the narrative would likely have shifted to which coach is under more pressure to win in crunch time in the fourth quarter.
For both coaches, it could serve as a precursor to a highly anticipated College Football Playoff rematch. But come Saturday night, it might as well be a one-game season before conference play begins. Day and Sarkisian each have quarterbacks in Manning and Julian Sayin who could be Heisman finalists in New York come December.
For whatever reason, though, my gut tells me that the Longhorns will have the ball last and that Manning will wind up delivering his Heisman moment shortly following the two-minute timeout.
And, better yet, SEC and ESPN college football analyst Paul Finebaum admitted on First Take this week that he still isn’t a firm believer in Day’s clutch gene while debating Stephen A. Smith.
“You act like Ryan Day is Nick Saban,” Finebaum said. “This guy can’t quit choking. I know he’s got a title, but he made an absolute mess out of that situation… Let’s not act like the guy has 19 national championships.”
If the Buckeyes survive in Austin, however, it’s off to the races to see if they can maintain their No. 1 ranking all season.
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Rafael Zamorano: Ohio State 31, Texas 30
The Buckeyes face their first big challenge of the year in Week 2, and don’t be surprised if this game turns out to be the most difficult on the entire schedule. Quarterback Julian Sayin will be tested by Will Muschamp’s defense, especially edge rusher Colin Simmons and safety Jelani McDonald.
On the flip side, Kenyatta Jackson Jr. will engage in a bona fide battle against the Longhorns’ offensive tackle Trevor Goosby, and Ohio State will need him to chalk up some wins there with the pass rush to throw Arch Manning off his platform. I’m also looking forward to seeing a lot of one-on-ones between Jermaine Mathews Jr. and Devin Sanchez against Cam Coleman and Ryan Wingo.
The Buckeyes’ best ally against the Longhorns, and the noise at Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium, will probably be a steady run game that can keep Simmons in check, while taking some of the pressure from the passer. Having said that, Jeremiah Smith will need a huge game — and much of it will fall on Sayin’s shoulders — to come out of Austin with the win. A win here will absolutely catapult Sayin and/or Smith into the Heisman conversation once again.
Ohio State will make it three in a row with another tight win.
Dylan Buganski: Ohio State 21, Texas 17
In what is the most anticipated game in college football to start the season, there are a lot of storylines to watch in this game. Do the new weapons in Texas’ offense take it to the next level? Does Jeremiah Smith get over his Texas problem? Will the early offensive line struggles from Ohio State inhibit their production?
We will have a general answer to these questions when this clash concludes late Saturday night, and I currently sway in the Buckeyes’ favor. This game should absolutely see more points than last year, with new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith now the play caller for the Buckeyes and key transfer portal additions Cam Coleman and Hollywood Smothers for the Longhorns.
I expect there to be some fireworks, with one of the Texas transfers making a big play and Smith using the fuel from his games against Texas to put up a stellar performance. I see the Ohio State defense doing just enough in limiting the Longhorn attack and the Buckeyes capitalizing better in red zone opportunities.
This also comes down to coaching, where Sarkisian has yet to prove he can win this game in his tenure at Texas. Day and his two NFL-experienced coordinators get the job done in this matchup.
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Today’s best reads
- What Jeremiah Smith Told Ryan Day Made Ohio State vs. Texas Even Better
- 3 Things Ohio State Must Fix This Week To Beat Texas Again
- This Is the Most Important Season of Ohio State Football Coach Ryan Day’s Tenure
- Biggest Questions Ohio State Football Still Faces Before Week 1
- Top CFB Analysts Explain Why Jeremiah Smith Is This Year’s Most Dominant Player
This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/ohiostate as Ohio State On SI Picks: Can Buckeyes Make It Three-Straight vs. Texas Longhorns?.
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This story was originally published September 11, 2026 at 4:00 AM.