Columbus, OH — The lights were bright, the hype was massive, but No. 1-ranked Texas walked into Ohio Stadium and ran headfirst into a wall of scarlet and gray resistance. In front of a roaring crowd of 107,524, Ohio State delivered a statement win to open the 2025 season, taking down the top-ranked Longhorns 14-7 in a defensive battle that left little room for fireworks.
Buckeyes Set the Tone Early
It wasn’t pretty early on. Both teams traded turnover on downs on their opening possessions, setting the tone for what would become a grind-it-out kind of evening. Ohio State’s star freshman wideout Jeremiah Smith struggled to find rhythm, dropping two catchable balls, but the Buckeyes stuck to their game plan.
Midway through the second quarter, the Buckeyes broke through. On a gutsy fourth-and-goal call, the OSU offense powered into the end zone for the game’s first score. Texas, meanwhile, sputtered, punting on four consecutive drives to close the half.
Manning’s First Road Start Falls Short
Making his first career road start, Texas quarterback Arch Manning experienced growing pains. Though he finished 17-of-30 for 170 yards, 132 of those came in the fourth quarter when the game was slipping away. Manning showed flashes late — including a 32-yard touchdown pass to Parker Livingstone with 3:28 left — but it wasn’t enough.
Texas had multiple chances to seize momentum. They reached the red zone three times in the second half and failed to score on two critical fourth-down plays, including a goal-line stop by the Buckeyes that left the Longhorns stunned.
On another drive, a near-interception was overturned on review, and moments later, a fourth-down throw into the end zone fell incomplete. The Buckeyes’ defense bent at times — but never broke.
Sayin Steady in First Start
Freshman quarterback Julian Sayin, stepping into his first collegiate start for Ohio State, wasn’t flashy but got the job done. He went 13-of-20 for 126 yards, including a key second-half touchdown strike to Carnell Tate that pushed the lead to 14-0 with just over 13 minutes remaining in the game.
Sayin played smart, protected the ball, and leaned on a swarming Buckeye defense that gave Texas fits for most of the game.
Big-Time Stops Seal It
Ohio State’s defense was the real MVP of the night. Two massive fourth-down stops inside their own 10-yard line, a key interception by Jermaine Matthews Jr., and consistent pressure kept Texas from finding any offensive rhythm.
After Manning’s late touchdown and another defensive stand that gave Texas the ball back with just over two minutes left, the Buckeyes again held firm. A fourth-and-5 stop inside their territory sealed the win, and Ohio State ran out the clock from there.
What’s Next:
The Buckeyes now look ahead to two tune-up games against Grambling State and Ohio University, while Texas will regroup against San Jose State, UTEP, and Sam Houston State in the coming weeks.
Despite the loss, the Longhorns’ talent is undeniable, and their schedule gives them a chance to rebound quickly. But the spotlight now shifts to Ohio State, a team that lost 14 NFL Draft picks and both coordinators in the offseason — and still managed to outmuscle the nation’s top team.
In a matchup between two bluebloods with championship aspirations, the Buckeyes proved they’re far from rebuilding. They’re reloading — and ready.
