Buckeyes Make Texas Pay: Arch Manning’s Rough Debut Against Ohio State Isn't End Of The World

COLUMBUS, OH - Everything was lining up in Columbus for an offensive showdown between Texas and Ohio State, but the football gods decided it would deliver a battle within the trenches, with Arch Manning having a day to forget in the 14-7 loss. 

I think some folks forgot that the Buckeyes were the defending national champions, and Matt Patricia was now running this Ohio State defense. Right? 

That has to be the case following a game that saw Arch Manning not throw for 50 total yards through three quarters, even if both defenses came out to play in ‘The Shoe’ on Saturday afternoon in front of the 13th largest crowd in Buckeyes history. 

"Coming into this game would serve as a really good measuring stick of where we were at," Steve Sarkisian said postgame. 

Did folks overestimate the abilities of Manning before this game even started? Sure they did, which was the off-season talking point that was discussed ad nauseam during the preseason. Let's be clear - there was nothing that was going his way on Saturday, especially after the interception with 3:01 remaining in the 3rd quarter. 

"Ultimately, not good enough. … We beat ourselves a lot and that starts with me and I have to play better for us to win," Arch Manning said postgame. 

COLUMBUS, OHIO - AUGUST 30: Head coach Ryan Day of the Ohio State Buckeyes leads his team on to the field before the game against the Texas Longhorns at Ohio Stadium on August 30, 2025 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Mowry/Getty Images)

It was almost as if Buckeyes defender Jermaine Matthews had that one read from the snap, watching the ball head his way in what felt like slow-motion. Also, this Ohio State defense was good, but there were plenty of times during this game where Manning made some very bad decisions that cost the Longhorns. 

And while it's difficult to praise the Ohio State offense for their performance, it clearly looked better than whatever Steve Sarkisian had cooking on the Texas sidelines. 

Everyone Probably Needs To Chill, But I Understand The Reaction To Arch Manning

I would say don't overreact to the first game of the season for the previously ranked No.1 team in the country, but we all know that will not be the case after the loss to Ohio State. The vultures will be out for Arch Manning, and he's a big enough boy to take it. Oh, and Sarkisian did him zero favors with play-calling, especially late in the second quarter when the Longhorns decided it would be best for Manning to try the ole tush-push from the 1-yard line. 

On the other side of the field, Ryan Day has some work to do with this offensive unit, though he can be thankful on Saturday that the Buckeyes' defense was looking for blood from the start. It's not as if Julian Sayin was some type of gunslinger against the Longhorns, but he did enough to lead his team to a win on a massive stage. 

"The expectations were out of control on the outside, but I’d say let’s finish the book before we judge it. This is one chapter and we have a long season to play," Steve Sarkisian said about Arch Manning. 

Ohio State's Julian Sayin readies for an interview following Ohio State's season-opening win over Texas. (Photo Credit: Trey Wallace/OutKick)

Now, the question is, where do the Longhorns go from here? It's certainly back to the drawing board, with plenty to work on over the next few weeks before SEC play begins. This was not a team that should be ranked No.1 in the country, but that's what happens in preseason polls. 

"I think he settled into playing. When he gets hit a few times, it actually helps him... I think there's a lot to hold onto about the future for Arch Manning here," Steve Sarkisian said of Arch Manning. 

It was also easy to notice both teams were already looking ahead to next week, and the rest of the 2025 season. On multiple occasions, Texas players were talking more about how this would not define them in any way, almost in a care-free way, though the loss obvious stings. 

But as I told you all week long, you should not take this one game and start declaring that the loser was going to feel this loss for the entire season. Nope, both of them will get better as the season progresses, which should scare the living hell out of the Big Ten. 

If Julian Sayin and Carnell Tate keep this up, opposing defenses are going to have a very tough decision to make about whom to double-cover. Tate or Jeremiah Smith? 

Texas Longhorns Back To Drawing Board, Arch Manning Looks For Answers

Unfortunately for this Steve Sarkisian team, it took way too long for the offense to start putting together enough consistent drives to force Ohio State to drop multiple defenders in the secondary. 

Even though Arch Manning is a downfield threat, he was clearly rattled in the pocket on multiple occasions, and his receivers did not help him one bit with dropped passes. 

The final fourth down attempt at the 7:56 mark of the fourth quarter summed it up, as Arch Manning delivered a watchable ball in the corner of the endzone that was dropped, which pretty much sealed the game for the Buckeyes. 

Though we thought. 

Arch Manning would lead Texas on a drive to get the Longhorns within 14-7 late in the fourth, with a beautiful pass to the endzone, forcing Ohio State fans to take a deep breath as the clock ticked. 

COLUMBUS, OHIO - AUGUST 30: Quarterback Arch Manning #16 of the Texas Longhorns passes the ball during the first quarter against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Ohio Stadium on August 30, 2025 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Mowry/Getty Images)

Today, it was all Ohio State, giving Texas a lot to figure out over the next few weeks. When Arch Manning throws for under 100 yards at the 7:58 mark of the fourth quarter, there's not much that will get you out of a big game like this with a win. 

Manning did finish with 170 yards passing, but it wasn’t enough at the end, when Texas turned it over on downs, clinching the win for Ohio State. 

What we learned is that Texas bit off more than it could chew in Columbus, and Ohio State made them choke on it. 

Maybe the Longhorns weren't exactly what we thought. Maybe Ohio State is going to make another run towards a national championship. 

All I can say is that we're about to find out, and this game in Columbus was a pretty good indicator of where we stand after week one. 

A long way to go for both teams. On Saturday, this was about the Buckeyes not taking a step back.