The most anticipated nonconference game of the season highlights Saturday's Week 2 college football slate, as No. 1 Ohio State travels to No. 4 Texas for what could be considered a must-win for both teams. Considering that a team with three regular season losses has yet to reach the 12-team College Football Playoff, whoever drops this one only gets one more guaranteed mulligan if they want to be chosen on Selection Sunday.
The Longhorns are narrow favorites (the spread is 1.5 at DraftKings), but that's mostly a reflection of their home field advantage. These are arguably the two most talented teams in all of college football. As such, the margins are slim when you go position-by-position to try and decipher who has the edge.
Ohio State and Texas both cruised to easy Week 1 wins against overmatched opposition. While those blowouts offered some insight into the composition of these two heavyweights, the full picture will come into focus during this matchup. A year ago, defense ruled the day on both sides as Ohio State squeaked out a 14-7 win in a game that featured just one score over the first three quarters.
It could be different this time around. Both quarterbacks are seasoned, and there are questions to answer in both secondaries. So who has the edge at each position? Let's get into it.
Quarterback
Both quarterbacks are seeking redemption. Manning played a dud against the Buckeyes last season in a painful beginning to his tenure as the Longhorns' full-time starter. Nothing came easy, and he looked lost for most of the game.
Sayin's lackluster ending to 2025 overshadowed an otherwise great campaign. Ohio State's Big Ten Championship Game loss to Indiana and CFP quarterfinal loss to Miami marked two of his worst performances of the season. He needs to prove that he can deliver on a big stage away from home. Edge: even
Skill talent
Ohio State's slight edge comes from the best skill player in college football, junior receiver Jeremiah Smith. He topped the charts among Power Four players with 1,243 receiving yards last season and is off to a strong start after totaling eight grabs for 151 yards and two touchdowns in the Buckeyes' opener. Smith is a potential game-changing talent. There's plenty of talent around in the room, too, with the likes of veteran Brandon Inniss and shifty UTSA transfer Devin McCuin.
Texas counters with the tantalizing one-two combo of Cam Coleman and Ryan Wingo. The duo combined for 191 receiving yards and three touchdowns in Texas' season-opening win. Texas' top backs Daylan Smothers and Raleek Brown are each proven Power Four transfers who give the Texas backfield an edge in career credentials. Ohio State has a 1,000 yard rusher back in Bo Jackson and was more productive rushing the football in Week 1. Edge: Ohio State
Offensive line
Texas has most talented individual lineman in this matchup with left tackle Trevor Goosby, who earned preseason first-team All-America honors from CBS Sports. But Ohio State has the more imposing unit overall.
The Buckeyes' line is highlighted by four returning starters from a well-regarded unit. All four were either second or third-team all-Big Ten performers last season. The Longhorns went through a bit more shuffling after an up-and-down 2025 season. The left guard position remains a platoon as transfers Dylan Sikorski (Oregon State) and Laurence Seymore III (Western Kentucky) split time in the opener. Of the top six for UT, three are transfers. Edge: Ohio State
Front seven
Texas' front seven features a projected top-10 NFL Draft pick in edge rusher Colin Simmons as well as a CBS Sports preseason first-team All-American at linebacker in Rasheem Biles. In his Longhorns debut, Biles made an interception, forced a fumble and a had tackle for loss. He was named SEC co-defensive player of the week. Hero Kanu is also a proven force on the interior who enjoyed a breakout 2025 season after transferring from Ohio State.
The Buckeyes certainly aren't hurting for defensive talent, but they did lose three top-40 draft picks from last season's front seven. Alabama transfer Qua Russaw -- the No. 7-ranked edge rusher of the portal cycle - did not play in the opener. Buckeyes coach Ryan Day said Russaw was expected to have a "full week of practice," and it would be huge for Ohio State if he's on the field. Edge: Texas
Secondary
On paper, this isn't either team's strength, but it's a huge task for both. Given the quality of the receiver talent at Texas and Ohio State, cornerback play will be particularly critical.
Considering how little the secondaries were tested in Week 1 and the questions in both units, this battle is up for grabs. Depending on who steps up, secondary play could be the deciding factor in a game featuring elite quarterbacks and perimeter talent. Edge: even
Coaching
Last season, Ryan Day hired longtime NFL coach Matt Patricia as Ohio State's defensive coordinator, which paid immediate dividends as the Buckeyes shut down Texas' offense in Week 1.
Now, Day has hired another well-tenured NFL mind to coordinate the other side of the football as Arthur Smith has taken over as offensive coordinator. His matchup with Texas defensive coordinator Will Muschamp will be a captivating showdown.
Day has a national championship on his resume, and he got the upper hand on Texas coach Steve Sarkisian last year. There's not much separating them, but Day has a slight edge. Edge: Ohio State
Final Tally
| Category | Ohio State | Texas |
|---|---|---|
| QB | ━ | ━ |
| Skill | ✅ | |
| OL | ✅ | |
| Front 7 | ✅ | |
| Secondary | ━ | ━ |
| Coaching | ✅ |
