Ohio State and Texas Shock Fans: Opening Day Woes Hint at Deeper Troubles Ahead

When two titans like Texas and Ohio State clash, you’re expecting fireworks — jaws dropping, highlight reels, and quarterbacks shining like the Heisman hopefuls they are billed to be. But let me tell you, the opener was far from the spectacle the preseason chatter promised. Arch Manning and Julian Sayin, both touted as the next big things, came out looking more like raw apprentices than seasoned pros under the glaring lights. It wasn’t just the quarterbacks — Texas and Ohio State’s outfits looked patchy, far removed from the polished juggernauts ranked No. 1 and No. 2 in the coaches poll. Yet, the real story unfolded on the defensive side, masterminded by Ohio State’s Matt Patricia, whose strategy tangled Texas’ offense into knots and turned the home crowd into a silent witness of frustration. This uneven kickoff has everyone scratching their heads, but hey — the season’s long and redemption drives are a big part of what makes college football so riveting. Both squads have cards to play in the months ahead, and believe me, this is only the opening chapter of a thrilling saga. LEARN MORE

AI-assisted summary
• Neither Texas quarterback Arch Manning nor Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin played up to the hype surrounding them.
• Ohio State’s defensive coordinator, Matt Patricia, was instrumental in the team’s victory over Texas.
• Both teams have room for improvement over the next three months of the season.

Vegas doesn’t know everything, it just knows how to set a line to get both sides to wager as much cash as possible. They’re not sharps in those sports books, they’re sharks.Let’s be honest, Ohio State should be able to manage a majority of its schedule playing exactly like it did Saturday. Sayin will get better, and he and Jeremiah Smith will find their groove. You can’t expect Manning and/or Sayin to walk under center or stand in the shotgun for the first time in a big time moment, and look (and play) like a fifth-year senior. Both threw touchdown passes in the game, and both were 50-50 balls that 99 percent of college quarterbacks can throw. He had seen every defensive scheme, every exotic blitz package, every combo coverage any coordinator could possible throw at him. He knew what was coming before the ball was snapped.That’s right, neither Texas nor Ohio State – Nos. 1 and 2 in the US LBM coaches poll – looked the part. It just means I would’ve rather watched reruns of the 2020 National Mullet Championship (I swear this is a thing) than one more quarter of Ohio State-Texas. And speaking of mullets, anyone in Austin missing Quinn Ewers?

Patricia played coverage, and the rebuilt defensive line got pressure with four and five rushing. Ands the next thing you know, it’s like we’re watching Wake Forest and Boston College.Texas, on the other hand, has some heavy lifting ahead — against defenses that will be as good or better than Ohio State. And against offenses that won’t struggle to score points.There’s gigantic value in that. Let me say that again, gigantic.

So while Texas quarterback/Heisman Trophy favorite/first pick in the NFL draft Arch Manning was exposed in the season opener at Ohio State, he wasn’t alone. So were the Buckeyes. 

This is what happens when you spend an entire offseason praising a player who barely got his silk jersey stained in two seasons on campus. Or when you think an offense that steamrolled the College Football Playoff in 2024, could reload and do the same with a quarterback who had barely thrown 20 career passes in mop up time. No matter how inexperienced Manning is as a starting quarterback in big-time football, he’s not 17-of-30 bad. He’s not 5.6 yards per attempt bad, not three explosion plays in the pass game bad. 

Polls are stupid and meaningless. Especially preseason polls. A schedule that may even be too much to reach the CFP. Which brings us all the way back to polls. 

Then again, neither did Bill Belichick, who thought Matt Patricia could call offensive ball plays in the NFL. Think about that nonsense for a moment. And Arch isn’t Peyton or Eli or even Archie. He’s just a young quarterback trying to find his way. If you think Manning struggled, I’ve got a former five-star, elite recruit from California to sell you. Neither Manning nor Sayin looked like championship quarterbacks, but that doesn’t mean either (or both) can’t develop into one. Just like Julian Sayin at Ohio State.Neither of these teams looked the part. But there’s three months to make it right. 

Will Howard played five seasons of college football, and threw 1,202 passes. He won a Big 12 championship, for the love of pigskin. Don’t blame them, point your anger at the offseason hype machine. And then marvel at the one guy on the field that wasn’t affected by anything: Patricia.OK, class, let’s go over what we learned today from that beautiful shrine of a stadium on the banks of the Olentangy.You don’t have to be a Manning to understand that. Patricia, now the Ohio State defensive coordinator, was the hero in this game. Without him and his game plan to utterly confuse Manning and Texas coach Steve Sarkisian (a real, live offensive play caller), this thing was about as exciting as a Siberian winter.Matt Hayes is the senior national college football writer for USA TODAY Sports Network. Follow him on X at @MattHayesCFB.