Image – The Lantern
A crazy week 1 began the 2026 college football season.
On Thursday in Atlanta, Georgia Tech and Colorado both blocked field goals in the fourth quarter. With seconds remaining, Buffalo defensive back Boo Carter blocked Aidan Birr’s potential game-winning field goal.
On Friday, No. 6 Miami decimated ACC foe Stanford 45-6 behind new starting quarterback Darian Mensah and wide receiver Malachi Toney. Mensah completed 27 of 30 passes for 401 yards and five touchdowns. He connected with Toney 12 times for 234 yards and three touchdowns.
On Saturday, No. 1 Ohio State, No. 3 Georgia and No. 5 Texas all handled business in blowout victories. However, No. 2 Oregon’s game against Boise State went back and forth. The Ducks held off the Broncos for a seven-point victory after a tightly contested four quarters. Boise State again has cemented itself as a favorite to represent the Group of Five in the College Football Playoff.
That night, No. 11 LSU dominated Clemson in every aspect of the game, winning 51-10 to begin the Lane Kiffin era. The Tigers established themselves on the ground after struggling to do so under former head coach Brian Kelly. Blake Baker’s defense recorded four sacks and forced Clemson to go 1 for 13 on third down.
On Sunday, No. 17 Washington dispatched Washington State 24-10 in the Apple Cup. Huskies quarterback Demond Williams led his team through the air, completing 24-of-35 passes for 268 yards and one touchdown. He also rushed seven times for 61 yards and another score.
That night in Green Bay, No. 4 Notre Dame started slowly before scoring 28 second-half points against Wisconsin. The Fighting Irish blew out the Badgers 41-13, with quarterback CJ Carr serving as the focal point after completing 19 of 29 passes for 239 yards and two touchdowns.
In Nashville, the offenses for No. 9 Ole Miss and No. 24 Louisville started slowly as the defenses dominated the game. Ole Miss led 10-6 at halftime. The battle between Rebel quarterback Trinidad Chambliss and Cardinal quarterback Lincoln Kienholz was exciting to watch in the second half. Chambliss completed 21 of 36 passes for 336 yards, three touchdowns and an interception.
Kienholz completed 18 of 29 passes for 306 yards and two touchdowns while rushing 14 times for 69 yards and a touchdown. At the end of the game, the Rebels got the ball last, and Chambliss drove his team down the field to set up placekicker Lucas Carneiro’s 48-yard game-winning field goal.
To end the weekend, Florida State welcomed No. 19 SMU to Tallahassee for a critical ACC showdown. The game was delayed one hour and 45 minutes due to electricity issues at the stadium. Once the game did get started, the Seminoles and Mustangs went back-and-forth, leading to another game-winning drive. SMU got the ball last and quarterback Kevin Jennings, who threw 3 touchdowns and 2 interceptions in the game against Florida State, led his team down the field to set up placekicker Nick Reed’s 20-yard game winner.
To end the weekend, Florida State welcomed No. 19 SMU to Tallahassee for a critical ACC showdown. The game was delayed 1 hour, 45 minutes because of electrical issues at the stadium.
Once the game began, the Seminoles and Mustangs went back and forth, leading to another game-winning drive. SMU got the ball last, and quarterback Kevin Jennings, who threw three touchdowns and two interceptions against Florida State, led his team down the field to set up placekicker Nick Reed’s 20-yard game-winning field goal.
After a crazy Week 1, it is time to turn attention to Week 2.
An old Midwest rivalry starts the weekend Friday in Lawrence, Kansas, when No. 25 Missouri faces Kansas. Arizona State will travel to Kyle Field to face No. 8 Texas A&M, while No. 11 Oklahoma will make the return trip to the Big House to face Michigan to begin Saturday’s action.
Then, the first SEC matchup of the season, another Big Ten-SEC showdown and a Group of Five battle headline the afternoon and early-evening slate. No. 12 Alabama will travel to Lexington, Kentucky, to face a new-look Kentucky team. Mississippi State travels to Minneapolis to face Minnesota. Memphis then will face Boise State on the Broncos’ blue field in a battle that could determine the Group of Five’s best program early in the season.
The prime-time slate features the Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk Series between Iowa State and No. 21 Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa, and a rematch between No. 1 Ohio State and No. 4 Texas more than a year after the Buckeyes defeated the Longhorns 14-7 to begin the 2025 season.
AP Top 5
No. 1 Ohio State 1-0 (0-0) Big Ten This Week: at No. 4 Texas (1-0) (Saturday, 6:30 p.m., ABC)
No. 2 Georgia 1-0 (0-0) SEC This Week: Western Kentucky (0-1) (Saturday, 11:45 a.m., SECN)
No. 3 Notre Dame 1-0 Independents This Week: Rice (1-0) (Saturday, 2:30 p.m., NBC)
No. 4 Texas 1-0 (0-0) SEC This Week: No. 1 Ohio State (1-0) (Saturday, 6:30 p.m., ABC)
No. 5 Indiana 1-0 (0-0) Big Ten This Week: Howard (1-1) (Saturday, 11 a.m., BTN)
Biggest risers and fallers in the AP Top 25 this week:
Risers
No. 8 LSU 1-0 (0-0) SEC Week 1: #11 (Defeated Clemson 51-10)
Fallers
No. 6 Oregon 1-0 (0-0) Big Ten Week 1: #2 (Defeated Boise State 34-27)
Dropped Out
Michigan 1-0 (0-0) Big Ten Week 1: #16 (Defeated Western Michigan 13-12)
New
No. 25 Virginia 1-0 (1-0) ACC Week 1: NR (Off)
The Week 2 Slate (Rankings based off of the AP Poll):
*All game times are at central standard time*
Image – ESPN
Friday, Sept. 11
No. 23 Missouri (1-0) at Kansas (1-0)
7 p.m., FOX
Missouri makes the return trip to Lawrence to face arch rival Kansas on Friday night in the “Border War”. The Tigers will attempt to defeat the Jayhawks for the second consecutive time with Tim Brando (play-by-play), Devin Gardner (analyst) and Josh Sims (sideline reporter) on the call.
Missouri opened the 2026 season with a dominant 54-14 win against Arkansas-Pine Bluff. Tiger quarterback Austin Simmons completed 17-of-19 passes for 252 yards and 4 touchdowns. Simmons found Donovan Olubade consistently, as he caught eight passes for 116 yards and 2 touchdowns. Linebacker Jeremiah Beasley recorded seven tackles for Mizzou.
Kansas blasted Long Island University 51-6 on the back of new starting quarterback Isaiah Marshall, who completed 14-of-19 passes for 246 yards and two touchdowns along with a tremendous defensive performance.
Next to Marshall, running back Yasin Willis carried the ball 11 times for 72 yards and 2 touchdowns and Nik McMillan caught six passes for 130 yards and 1 touchdown. Defensive end David Santiago added four tackles and forced one fumble in the win against the Sharks.
Missouri should win this game even though it is on the road. The Tigers outscored Kansas 42-31 last season and with an even better quarterback behind center in Simmons, they should score consistently on the Jayhawks.
Featured tailback Jamal Roberts, who will hold that role until the injured Ahmad Hardy returns, only reached 47 yards and 1 touchdown on 13 carries. So, Eliah Drinkwitz’s offense should rely more on Roberts if they want to get down the field and score more points. Santiago and his running mate LeRoy Harris III who totaled 4 tackles and 4 tackles for loss against the Sharks, will do their best to shut down Simmons and Roberts.
If Kansas can be half as successful as they were on offense last weekend against LIU, they can avenge last season’s loss to Missouri. The Jayhawks are facing a Missouri offense with more potential to score more points, so Marshall will need to get the ball to Willis and his other receivers more than he will need to hand it off to Willis to succeed offensively. Tiger safety CJ Bass III will be vital in their secondary’s gameplay against Kansas, after he recorded 4 tackles and 1 pass defended in the season-opener.
Missouri should win another game against Kansas on the back of their offense, who will get in the end zone consistently. The Jayhawks will put up a fight in the first half but the Tigers will be too much. Drinkwitz’s team will win by two touchdowns.
Projected Score: Missouri 38, Kansas 24
Image – AZCentral
Saturday, Sept. 12
Arizona State (1-0) at No. 10 Texas A&M (1-0)
11 a.m., ABC
Arizona State will make the short trip to College Station, where they will face Texas A&M on Saturday afternoon. The Sun Devils will square off with the Aggies with Tom Hart (play-by-play), Jesse Palmer (analyst) and Kris Budden (sideline reporter) on the call.
Arizona State signal-caller Cutter Boley shined in their season-opening victory against Morgan State. Boley completed 21-of-27 passes for 387 yards and 6 touchdowns. Boley’s favorite target was wide receiver Reed Harris, who caught six passes for 137 yards and 2 touchdowns.
Running back Kyson Brown led the Sun Devils on the ground with 80 yards and a touchdown on six carries. Safety Ben Alefaio-Lilii recorded 5 tackles and defensive lineman Clayton Smith totaled 1 sack against the Bears.
Texas A&M signal-caller Marcel Reed completed 21-of-30 passes for 233 yards and 2 touchdowns in their victory against Missouri State. Rueben Owens carried the ball 17 times for 77 yards and Isaiah Horton caught four passes for 76 yards and 1 touchdown from Reed. Linebacker Noah Mikhail totaled 7 tackles and defensive end Ryan Henderson added 1 sack to lead the effort for the Aggies against the Bears.
Boley, who has limited SEC experience in his one season at Kentucky, will have to be ready to play in front of an intense crowd in College Station against a Texas A&M defense that features a younger front but still an overall talented unit. He will have to stay cool in the pocket, get the ball to his receivers and avoid Mikhail and linebacker Ray Coney so Arizona State can get in the end zone.
Marcel Reed must stay consistent against the Sun Devils defense if they want to avoid an upset. He has trustworthy receivers Horton, Mario Craver and Terry Bussey down the field and Owens to hand the ball to in the backfield. Smith, Alefaio-Lilii and linebacker Owen Long will lead the ASU defense against the Aggies’ offense.
In a battle of two coaches that have reached the College Football Playoff, Mike Elko and Kenny Dillingham, Texas A&M will take down Arizona State. The Aggies will take down the Sun Devils in front of their home crowd after a competitive game in the first half.
Projected Score: Texas A&M 31, Arizona State 17
Image – AP News
No. 11 Oklahoma (1-0) at Michigan (1-0)
11 a.m., FOX
After defeating Michigan a season ago in Norman, Oklahoma will look to continue their hot start to the season with a second consecutive victory over the Wolverines. Oklahoma will face off against Michigan on FOX’s Big Noon Kickoff with Gus Johnson (play-by-play), Joel Klatt (analyst) and (sideline reporter) on the call.
Oklahoma shut out UTEP 51-0 to open their 2026 campaign. Quarterback John Mateer completed 11-of-17 passes for 225 yards and 3 touchdowns while his favorite target Isaiah Sategna, who caught four passes for 76 yards, 1 touchdown and he returned a punt for a touchdown as well. Tailback Lloyd Avant carried the ball 15 times for 79 yards and 1 touchdown.
Eight members of the feared Sooners’ defense totaled four or more tackles, headlined by defensive back Reggie Powers III and linebacker Owen Heinecke, who totaled 7 tackles each. Powers, Heinecke and defensive lineman Taylor Wein each got in the backfield and combined for three tackles for loss between them.
Michigan needed the Big Ten to add a second back on the clock to defeat Western Michigan 13-12 and avoid an upset. The Wolverines’ quarterback Bryce Underwood completed just 12-of-22 passes for 170 yards, 1 touchdown to win the game and 1 interception.
Underwood also led the Wolverines on the ground, carrying it nine times for 47 yards and another touchdown. The bright spot for the offense was wide receiver JJ Buchanan, who caught six passes for 126 yards and 1 touchdown. Linebacker Troy Bowles recorded 12 tackles and defensive end Dom Nichols added 4 tackles and 1.5 sacks in the victory against the Broncos.
Oklahoma will definitely not be as successful on offense as they were to open the season against the Miners against a talented Michigan defense but the Sooners should be fine if Mateer takes care of the ball and his playmakers are reliable. Sategna has been terrific in Norman since transferring from Arkansas but it will be up to fellow receiver Trell Harris and tight end Rocky Beers to be consistent throughout the season for OU to be successful.
Plus, after the Sooners failed to successfully run the football last season, Avant and Ben McCreary will have to go to the “Big House” and continue to run the ball to set up Mateer’s passing game. Bowles will be the challenge for Ben Arbuckles’ offense, especially after his terrific week 1 performance.
Underwood will have to be more consistent in the passing game this Saturday if Michigan wants to come out with a win against Oklahoma. The vaunted Sooners defense proved that they are still elite after shutting out UTEP but the Wolverines have athletes that the Miners don’t have. Underwood needs a running game outside of himself, including Jordan Marshall and Savion Hiter to step up, to set up Buchanan and other receivers down the field to successfully score points against the OU defense.
If the Sooners’ defense can consistently get past the Wolverine offensive line, there is no way Michigan can establish their ground game and have success offensively. That is where Powers, Heinecke and Wein can pounce, sack Underwood and prevent the UM offense from having success.
After Michigan’s dreadful start to the season, Oklahoma should handle business in Ann Arbor. The Wolverines must look better for Kyle Whittingham’s coaching staff if they want to get back in the Big Ten and national conversations but Brent Venables’ team will be too much.
Projected Score: Oklahoma 24, Michigan 14
Image – Mississippi State Athletics
Mississippi State (1-0) at Minnesota (1-0)
2:30 p.m., CBS
The second of three Big Ten/SEC showdowns will be in Minneapolis between Mississippi State and Minnesota. The Bulldogs and Golden Gophers will square off with Brad Nessler (play-by-play), Charles Davis (analyst) and Jenny Dell (sideline reporter) on the call.
The Mississippi State offense exploded for 62 points and their defense held ULM to just 13 points to open Jeff Lebby’s third season as head coach. Lebby’s quarterback Kamario Taylor shined by completing 22-of-34 passes for 354 yards and 4 touchdowns. Taylor’s tailback, JJ Hill, who rushed seven times for 118 yards and 2 touchdowns. His favorite target, Anthony Evans III, caught seven passes for 118 yards and another touchdown.
Lebby brought back former Bulldog head coach Zach Arnett to be the defensive coordinator and while their first game was against ULM, his unit succeeded in the opener. Linebacker Jalen Smith totaled 8 tackles and defensive lineman Trevion Williams added one sack to lead the MSU defense.
Minnesota quarterback Drake Lindsey was efficient when he completed 19-of-24 passes for 264 yards and 1 touchdown when they defeated Eastern Illinois 59-7. Wide receiver Javon Tracy impressed with five catches for 98 yards while running back Darius Taylor rushed 14 times for 56 yards and 3 touchdowns. Golden Gopher linebacker Maverick Baranowski totaled 6 tackles defensive lineman TJ Bush Jr. added 1 sack for the defense.
If the Mississippi State offense can go on the road and have similar success against Minnesota, they could return home to Starkville with a victory. The Golden Gophers should make it more difficult for Taylor to pass the ball down the field but his dual-threat ability will make him difficult to stop. Baranowski and Bush will be the two guys leading the Minnesota defense against him.
On the other side, Lindsey was successful against EIU a week ago but he only threw one touchdown. He will have get more passes in the end zone past the Bulldog secondary if they want to come out with the victory.
The good news is, Taylor ran for 3 touchdowns and Tracy accounted for 98 receiving yards. Mississippi State safeties Kendal Doby and Marcus Williams will be in charge of making sure Lindsey does not get passes into the end zone more than he did against the Panthers.
The battle between Mississippi State and Minnesota should be close. The Golden Gophers have the home field advantage and that should give them an edge. But if they let the Bulldogs have success on offense in the first half, it will be hard for the Minnesota defense to stop the Taylor-led offense. Mississippi State will edge the Golden Gophers, getting an important win for Lebby.
Projected Score: Mississippi State 31, Minnesota 28
Image – FOX40
No. 12 Alabama (1-0) at Kentucky (1-0)
2:30 p.m., ABC
Alabama and Kentucky will play in the first SEC game of the season, with the Crimson Tide attempting to return to the College Football Playoff and the Wildcats looking for an upset to jumpstart Will Stein’s tenure. Alabama and Kentucky will square off with Sean McDonough (play-by-play), Greg McElroy (analyst) and Katie George (sideline reporter) on the call.
New starting quarterback Keelon Russell completed 18-of-30 passes for 256 yards and rushed 13 times for 86 yards and 1 touchdown after a 48-10 victory against East Carolina. Ryan Coleman-Williams exploded after making five catches for 130 yards. Running back Daniel Hill rushed nine times for 47 yards and 2 touchdowns.
The Crimson Tide had a balanced defensive performance against the Pirates, with defensive backs Bray Hubbard, Dijon Lee Jr., Cabin Brown and linebacker Yhonzae Pierce all had 3 tackles in the season-open victory.
In their 45-13 win against Youngstown State, Will Stein’s quarterback Kenny Minchey completed 18-of-27 passes for 301 yards and 4 touchdowns. Running back Jason Patterson carried the ball 11 times and wide receiver Kenny Darby caught three passes for 74 yards and 1 touchdown. Defensive back Jordan Castell totaled 7 tackles and defensive tackle Ahmad Breaux added 1 sack.
The Alabama passing game, led by Russell and Coleman-Williams, must get into the end zone against Kentucky if they want to defeat the Wildcats. The rushing attack was okay against ECU but the offensive line must create more holes for Hill to get down the field. Kentucky’s Castell and Breaux will be key pieces against the Crimson Tide offense.
If the Wildcat defense can shut down Russell, Coleman-Williams and Hill from having success, Minchey’s offense could be allowed success in front of their home crowd against the Crimson Tide defense. Minchey will need a more balanced attack to conquer the Alabama defense to get the win.
The game between the Crimson Tide and Wildcats should be a back-and-forth affair but Alabama should take control in the second half and move to 2-0. Kentucky is only in its second game under Stein but they should prove they are quite capable of scoring efficiently but it won’t be enough.
Projected Score: Alabama 31, Kentucky 24
Image – Daily Memphian
Memphis (2-0) at Boise State (0-1)
5 p.m., USA Network
Memphis and Boise State will face off in a battle for who could be the Group of Six’s College Football Playoff representative in December. The Tigers will take on the Broncos with Nate Gatter (play-by-play), Ryan Leaf (analyst) and Lauren Green (sideline reporter) on the call.
Memphis quarterback Marcus Stokes completed 12-of-15 passes for 188 yards, 2 touchdowns and 2 interceptions in their 42-24 victory against Arkansas State. Tailbacks Jaylin Carter carried the ball 19 times for 183 yards and 4 touchdowns and Manny Covey carried the ball 15 times for 103 yards.
Stokes’ top receivers Brady Kluse, who caught 1 pass for 40 yards and Jermane Hayes caught three passes for 35 yards and 1 touchdown. Cornerback Chauncey Logan Jr. totaled 10 tackles and safety Ian Fiser added 8 tackles to lead the Tiger defense against the Red Wolves.
In Boise State’s competitive 34-27 loss against No. 2 Oregon, quarterback Maddux Madsen completed 15-of-29 passes for 181 yards and 3 touchdowns. Wide receiver Rasean Jones caught four passes for 76 yards while tailback Dylan Riley carried the ball 17 times for 50 yards. Defensive back Travis Anderson’s 11 tackles and linebacker Bol Bol’s 1 sack were the standouts against the Ducks’ offense.
The Memphis defensive line has been the difference in their 2-0 start to the 2026 season. Charles Huff will need to make sure his offense, led by the quarterback Stokes and his playmakers Carter, Covey and Kluse.
Boise State linebackers Boen Phelps and Kyle Hall will be important in shutting down Carter and Covey in the backfield because if they succeed against the Broncos, it would set up more opportunities for Stokes to pass the ball down the field.
Madsen will need to be more efficient passing the football against Memphis if Boise State wants to get their first win of the season. The Tiger pass rush has been fantastic this season so the Bronco offensive line will be important in Madsen’s success in getting the ball to receivers Jones, Sire Gaines and tight end Matt Wagner. Also, the line will pave the way for Riley to run the ball down the field, defensive end Elijah Kinsler is who the BSU offensive line will have to watch out for the most.
In what should be another back-and-forth game, Boise State’s home-opener should be successful after they protect their home field against Memphis. The Tigers could lead multiple times in the game but the Broncos will overcome it and come out with a win.
Projected Score: Boise State 28, Memphis 24
Image – Iowa Hawkeyes Athletics
Iowa State (1-0) at No. 21 Iowa (1-0)
6:30 p.m., NBC
The Iowa-Corn Cy-Hawk Series will be back under the lights on Saturday. Iowa State will renew their rivalry against Iowa at Kinnick Stadium with Paul Burmeister (play-by-play), Todd Blackledge (analyst) and Yogi Roth (sideline reporter) on the call.
Arkansas State transfer quarterback Jaylen Raynor completed 8-of-16 passes for 184 yards and 2 touchdowns in Iowa State’s season-opening 38-10 win against Southeastern Missouri State. Tailback Aiden Flora carried the ball seven times for 45 yards and a touchdown and receiver Dominic Overby caught two passes for 85 yards. Linebacker Sullivan Schlimgen totaled 9 tackles and 1 sack while defensive end Isaac Terrell added 3 sacks and 1 forced fumble for the Cyclone defense.
Iowa shut out Northern Illinois 40-0 to begin the season after linebacker Cam Bluffington totaled 6 tackles and defensive end Joseph Anderson added 1.5 sacks in their terrific performance. Quarterback Hank Brown completed 12-of-20 passes for 129 yards while running back Kamari Moulton carried the ball 11 times for 183 yards and 2 touchdowns, powering the Hawkeye offense. Brown’s top target was Tony Diaz, who caught seven passes for 84 yards and 1 touchdown.
Raynor and his weapons will have to look much better against Iowa if they want to come out with a win on Saturday night in Kinnick Stadium. He will have to avoid the tremendous Hawkeye defense and get the ball to playmakers Flora, Overby and others. The challenge will be difficult with Bluffington, Anderson and others coming to create havoc and sack Raynor.
Iowa should defeat Iowa State if they get enough out of their offense and get a similar performance from their defense that they got in week 1. On offense, Brown will have to be consistent throwing the ball in the pocket to his receivers and tight ends and Moulton will need a similar performance out of the backfield if they want to give it to the Cyclones. If Schlimgen and Terrell limit the Hawkeye offense and their offense can give them some points, they will have a shot to win.
Iowa should take care of business against instate rival Iowa State at home behind a tremendous defensive performance. The Hawkeyes may not score a bunch but that will be okay after their defense limits the Cyclones to 10 points.
Projected Score: Iowa 21, Iowa State 10
Image – Cleveland.com
No. 1 Ohio State (1-0) at No. 4 Texas (1-0)
6:30 p.m., ABC
Texas welcomes Ohio State to Austin after a 14-7 loss to the Buckeyes to begin last season. With ESPN’s College GameDay in town, the Longhorns will look to avenge that loss against Ohio State on Saturday night with Chris Fowler (play-by-play), Kirk Herbstreit (analyst), Holly Rowe (sideline reporter) and Laura Rutledge (sideline reporter) on the call.
Ohio State’s Julian Sayin was efficient against Ball State in their 56-3 victory, completing 21-of-25 passes for 325 yards and 3 touchdown. Elite wide receiver Jeremiah Smith caught eight passes for 151 yards and 2 touchdowns.
Running backs Bo Jackson, who carried the ball nine times for 83 yards and 1 touchdown, and Ja’Kobi Jackson, who carried the ball eight times for 83 yards and 1 touchdown led the Buckeye backfield. Linebacker Riley Pettljohn recorded 6 tackles and defensive end Eli Sitanilei added 1 sack in their dominant defensive performance against the Cardinals.
Texas’ defense also impressed in their 59-7 victory against instate foe Texas State. Defensive back Jelani McDonald led the Longhorns with 8 tackles and defensive lineman Maraad Watson added 1 sack and 1 forced fumble in the win. On offense, quarterback Arch Manning began his second season as the starting quarterback by completing 20-of-27 passes for 305 yards, 4 touchdowns and 1 interception.
Auburn transfer wide receiver Cam Coleman caught 3 passes for 70 yards and 2 touchdowns. North Carolina State transfer Hollywood Smothers carried the ball 10 times for 70 yards while Arizona State transfer Raleek Brown carried it 11 times for 34 yards and 2 touchdowns.
Ohio State’s offense proved that they had not lost a step lost a step last Saturday but the challenge will be more difficult against a Texas defense that has so many playmakers, including McDonald, Watson and pass-rusher Colin Simmons. That being said, the consistency of Sayin and the Buckeye passing attack with Smith, Devin McCuin, Brandon Inniss and Chris Henry Jr. could prove to be too much for the talented Longhorn secondary. The duo of Bo Jackson and Ja’Kobi Jackson will be crucial in the backfield to set Sayin up in the passing game against the Texas pass rush.
Will Manning and the Texas offense be better against the Ohio State defense this season? Head coach Steve Sarkisian said they upgraded on their offensive playmakers in the transfer portal but the duo of Brown and Smothers in the backfield and Coleman on the perimeter must prove themselves against a Buckeye defense that may have lost multiple pieces to the NFL but is still full of talent. After tremendous performances, Littlejohn and Alford must lead the OSU defense as they head on the road, aiming to defeat the Longhorns.
Steve Sarkisian needs his Texas team to finally beat Ohio State after losses to Ryan Day’s program in the 2024 College Football Playoff and last season in Columbus. The Longhorns have a talented roster that should be back in the playoff at the end of the season and with their tough nine-game SEC schedule coming, they need to defeat the Buckeyes. But, OSU will go on the road and prove that they are still the better team.
Projected Score: Ohio State 34, Texas 31
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