, Columbus, Ohio — Defending national champion Ohio State opened its title defense with a 14-7 win over top-ranked Texas at Ohio Stadium, as Julian Sayin hit Carnell Tate for a 40-yard fourth-quarter touchdown and the Buckeyes defense delivered two critical red-zone stands to seal a marquee Week 1 victory.
Key Takeaways
- Final: Ohio State 14, Texas 7; Buckeyes move to 1-0, Longhorns fall to 0-1.
- Julian Sayin went 13-of-20 for 126 yards, including a 40-yard TD to Carnell Tate with 13:08 left.
- Texas finished 1-for-5 on fourth down, stopped twice in the red zone.
- Third-quarter turning point: Arch Manning was stuffed on fourth-and-goal at the 1 by Caden Curry and Lorenzo Styles Jr.
- Late chance denied: Caleb Downs tackled Jack Endries a yard short of the sticks to end Texas’s final drive.
- CJ Donaldson Jr. opened OSU’s scoring with a 1-yard plunge to cap a 13-play, 87-yard drive that drained roughly eight minutes.
- Texas’s lone TD came with 3:28 remaining on a 32-yard Manning pass to Parker Livingstone.
- Attendance at Ohio Stadium: 107,524.
Verified Facts
Ohio State’s defense set the tone in a physical opener, leveraging short-yardage fortitude to blunt multiple Texas drives. The game’s pivotal stand arrived in the third quarter when Texas, trailing 7-0, tried a quarterback sneak on fourth-and-goal from the 1; Curry and Styles Jr. met Arch Manning at the line and drove him back.
Sayin’s best throw came early in the fourth. Facing single coverage, Tate beat cornerback Jaylon Guilbeau and secured a 40-yard touchdown after briefly juggling the ball in the end zone, pushing the Buckeyes ahead 14-0 with 13:08 to play.
Ohio State first broke through midway in the second quarter. Donaldson Jr. finished an eight-minute march — 13 plays over 87 yards — aided by two Texas penalties, including a facemask on Colin Simmons that wiped out a third-and-4 incompletion.
Texas rallied late. Manning, who completed 17 of 30 for 170 yards with a touchdown and an interception, connected with Parker Livingstone from 32 yards out at 3:28. The Longhorns’ defense forced a three-and-out, but the ensuing drive ended when safety Caleb Downs halted Endries a yard short on fourth down.
| Team | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | T |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 |
| Ohio State | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 14 |
Context & Impact
This was the fourth season opener in which the AP preseason No. 1 faced the reigning national champion. With Ohio State’s win, the defending titleholder has now claimed the last three such meetings.
Texas saw its 11-game winning streak in true road contests end — a run that included five victories over ranked opponents. The Longhorns were aggressive on fourth down but paid for it, converting just once in five tries.
In his first game as Ohio State’s defensive coordinator, Matt Patricia’s unit authored two red-zone stops, limited explosive plays, and closed the door on the final possession — a strong early signal for a group replacing key pieces from last year’s championship roster.
What’s next
- Texas: Hosts San Jose State on Sept. 6.
- Ohio State: Hosts Grambling State on Sept. 6.
Official Statements
Ryan Day called it a gritty opener, noting the plan in Week 1 was to avoid self-inflicted mistakes.
Ryan Day, Ohio State head coach
Arch Manning said the performance wasn’t good enough and that he has to play better for Texas to win.
Arch Manning, Texas quarterback
Unconfirmed
- Whether Ohio State will rise to No. 1 in the next AP Top 25 will depend on the full Week 1 ballot; the poll had not been released at publication time.
Bottom Line
Ohio State paired a timely vertical strike from Sayin to Tate with rugged short-yard defense to outlast the nation’s preseason No. 1. For Texas, the margin was thin — but fourth-down inefficiency and two red-zone stops defined the difference in a heavyweight opener.