Ohio State coach Ryan Day and his players spent the offseason insisting the opener against top-ranked Texas wasn’t about defending last year’s national championship, but about defining the 2025 Buckeyes. On Sunday night, a true freshman quarterback and a suffocating defense helped carve out that identity.
In his first collegiate start, quarterback Julian Sayin guided No. 3 Ohio State to a 14-7 win over No. 1 Texas, throwing a decisive 40-yard touchdown strike to Carnell Tate early in the fourth quarter. That score gave the Buckeyes a two-possession cushion, and their defense—led by new coordinator Matt Patricia—made it stand up.
“It wasn’t flashy, but it was tough, disciplined football,” Day said. “We knew we had to put Julian in good situations and trust our defense to carry us.”
Sayin, steady if not spectacular, completed 13 of 20 passes for 126 yards. His longest throw was also his best: with 13:08 remaining, Tate beat cornerback Jaylon Guilbeau, juggled the ball briefly, then secured it in the end zone to cap Ohio State’s biggest play of the night.
The Buckeyes’ defense spent three quarters bottling up Texas quarterback Arch Manning, the Longhorns’ much-hyped sophomore. Manning’s stat line—17 of 30 for 170 yards, one touchdown, one interception—was padded late, as he found most of his rhythm in the final quarter.
The difference came down to red-zone execution. Texas went 1 of 5 on fourth down, including two failed tries inside the Ohio State 10. Manning was denied on a third-quarter quarterback sneak at the 1-yard line by Caden Curry and Lorenzo Styles Jr., and midway through the fourth, cornerback Davison Igbinosun broke up a pass intended for Parker Livingstone on fourth-and-goal.
Ohio State’s offense, meanwhile, delivered when it mattered. The Buckeyes broke through in the second quarter with a grinding 13-play, 87-yard drive capped by CJ Donaldson Jr.’s 1-yard touchdown run. The series burned eight minutes off the clock and was aided by a key face mask penalty on Texas pass rusher Colin Simmons that extended the possession.
Texas finally answered with 3:28 left in the game, when Manning connected with Livingstone on a 32-yard touchdown to trim the deficit to 14-7. The Longhorns forced a quick three-and-out and got the ball back with a chance to tie. But on fourth-and-3 at the Ohio State 47, tight end Jack Endries was stopped a yard short by safety Caleb Downs, ending Texas’ hopes.
The win moved Ohio State to 4-3 all-time against visiting No. 1 teams and extended the streak of defending national champions beating preseason AP No. 1 opponents in openers to four straight matchups.
“This was about setting the tone,” Day said. “We’ve got a long way to go, but I think we showed what kind of team this can be.”
Texas: The Longhorns’ 11-game true road winning streak—which included five victories over ranked foes—was snapped. Execution on fourth down proved fatal. Ohio State: With the win, the Buckeyes are positioned to ascend to the No. 1 spot in the AP poll. Sayin’s calm debut and Patricia’s defense offered a promising blueprint.
Texas: Hosts San Jose State on Sept. 6. Ohio State: Hosts Grambling State on Sept. 6.
