Way-Too-Early 2025 Week 1 Preview: Texas Longhorns Face Monumental Challenge in Showdown Against Ohio State Buckeyes in Columbus

The 2025 college football season begins with a thunderclap as the Texas Longhorns travel to Columbus to face the Ohio State Buckeyes in one of the most anticipated Week 1 matchups in recent memory. These two powerhouse programs, both with College Football Playoff ambitions and NFL talent up and down the roster, will meet in a showdown that could set the tone for the rest of the season. Although the game will be played in late August, the implications will stretch far into December and potentially into January.

For Texas, this is more than just a statement game—it’s a litmus test. Entering their second season in the SEC, the Longhorns are determined to prove that their 2024 campaign, which ended with a strong New Year’s Six bowl appearance, wasn’t a fluke. Head coach Steve Sarkisian has steadily rebuilt the Texas program into a national contender, and the return of several key pieces gives the Longhorns a chance to do something they haven’t accomplished since the Colt McCoy era: beat a true national power in enemy territory.

The most pressing question for Texas surrounds the quarterback position. With Quinn Ewers off to the NFL, the job now belongs to Arch Manning, the most hyped quarterback prospect of his generation. Manning showed flashes of brilliance in limited 2024 action, but Week 1 at Ohio Stadium will be his first true trial by fire. The Buckeyes’ defense, loaded with talent at every level, will bring pressure early and often. The moment will be huge—and all eyes will be on Manning’s poise and decision-making. If he handles the noise, pressure, and physicality, it will go a long way toward validating the hype.

Manning will be helped by an offense that remains dangerous. Wide receivers Isaiah Bond and Johntay Cook II are legitimate deep threats, and tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders provides a massive target in the middle of the field. The offensive line, anchored by returners like Kelvin Banks Jr., will need to hold up against one of the country’s top pass rushes. In the backfield, Cedric Baxter Jr. returns with the expectation of shouldering the load in a new-look run game. While the offensive skill talent isn’t in question, cohesion will be critical. This is a team with pieces, but how those pieces function together—especially in Week 1—remains the biggest unknown.

On the defensive side of the ball, Texas has reloaded after losing key contributors to the NFL. Anthony Hill Jr. headlines the linebacker corps and could emerge as one of the premier defensive playmakers in the country. The secondary features returning experience and rising talent, including Terrance Brooks and Malik Muhammad, both of whom will be tasked with slowing down a lethal Buckeye receiving corps. Up front, Texas has added a mix of veterans and transfer portal talent to continue applying pressure, but the unit will be tested like never before.

And then there’s Ohio State. The Buckeyes are fresh off a College Football Playoff appearance of their own, and after a heartbreaking semifinal loss, head coach Ryan Day returns with perhaps his most complete team since the 2019 squad. The storyline in Columbus centers on transfer quarterback Julian Sayin, the former five-star Alabama signee, who now finds himself at the helm of a national title contender. Sayin won the job in the spring and has already drawn rave reviews for his arm talent, accuracy, and calm under pressure.

Helping Sayin is a loaded arsenal of weapons. Star wideout Jeremiah Smith, the No. 1 receiver in the 2023 recruiting class, leads the charge. He’s joined by Carnell Tate and Brandon Inniss, giving the Buckeyes a trio of explosive targets that can stretch any secondary. The run game is expected to be more consistent in 2025, with Quinshon Judkins transferred in from Ole Miss and offering a punishing, downhill style that complements the finesse of Sayin’s passing attack.

Defensively, the Buckeyes might be even better. JT Tuimoloau and Jack Sawyer both returned for one final season, giving Ohio State a fearsome pass rush on the edge. On the interior, Michael Hall Jr. and Tyleik Williams form a wall that will test Texas’ offensive line immediately. The linebacking corps remains strong, led by CJ Hicks, while the secondary features experience and playmakers like Denzel Burke and Caleb Downs, who transferred from Alabama and instantly upgraded the safety room.

Ohio State’s defense is especially dangerous in the Horseshoe, and the crowd noise will be unlike anything Arch Manning has experienced. The chess match between Steve Sarkisian’s offensive scheming and Jim Knowles’ aggressive defense will be one of the game’s defining matchups. If Sarkisian can get Manning into rhythm with high-percentage throws early and quiet the crowd, the Longhorns have a chance to keep pace. But if Ohio State’s front seven gets home and forces turnovers, it could get ugly fast.

Special teams could also play a pivotal role. Texas kicker Bert Auburn returns as one of the most reliable legs in college football, but field position will matter even more than points in a game where two elite defenses may initially slow things down. Punting, kickoff coverage, and even a single missed tackle on a return could swing momentum wildly in front of 100,000-plus fans in Columbus.

Beyond the Xs and Os, this is a culture clash, a moment of truth, and a measuring stick for two of college football’s blue bloods. Texas has spent years clawing its way back into relevance, and now with SEC status and a generational quarterback, this feels like a turning point. A win in Columbus would catapult the Longhorns into the top five and potentially set them on a course for a special season.

Ohio State, meanwhile, is looking to defend its place among the elite. With Michigan undergoing major transition post-Harbaugh and the Big Ten expanding, this season feels like one where the Buckeyes can reassert themselves at the top of the college football pyramid. Losing at home to an SEC team would be a gut punch. Winning in dominant fashion would silence doubters and establish Sayin as a legitimate Heisman contender.

Recruiting ramifications are also massive. High school prospects from coast to coast will be watching closely. A Texas win could open new doors in the Midwest and Southeast. An Ohio State blowout would further entrench the Buckeyes as the destination for elite talent.

And then there’s the College Football Playoff. With the expanded 12-team format beginning this year, early losses won’t eliminate contenders. But seeding and confidence still matter. The winner of this game won’t just be 1–0—they’ll be in the driver’s seat. The loser, while not out of the race, will face a tougher road filled with scrutiny and pressure. A sluggish Week 1 showing, even against elite competition, can cast a long shadow.

Fans and analysts alike will overreact to this result no matter what happens. That’s what makes it beautiful. The hype, the pageantry, the questions, the unknowns—it’s why college football remains America’s greatest soap opera. In a sport that thrives on tradition and anticipation, few matchups can match the weight of Texas vs. Ohio State in Week 1.

For the players, it’s an opportunity to etch their names into the sport’s history. For coaches, it’s a test of preparation and resilience. For fans, it’s the perfect way to open a season filled with hope, drama, and dreams.

When the sun sets over Columbus on that late August evening, one of these programs will walk away with a victory that echoes far beyond the scoreboard. And for the other, it will be a long flight home, filled with questions and the haunting realization that in this new era of college football, the margin for error is smaller than ever.

Week 1 isn’t supposed to be this big. But this one is. Buckle up.