Dave Wilson
- Dave Wilson is a college football reporter. He previously worked at The Dallas Morning News, San Diego Union-Tribune and Las Vegas Sun.
AUSTIN, Texas — A year after his highly anticipated debut as Texas’ starting quarterback ended in a disappointing 14-7 loss to Ohio State, Arch Manning expressed on Monday that he would rather not look back at the game.
“Not a lot of good memories a year ago,” Manning said, noting that he is eager for a chance at redemption when the Longhorns face the top-ranked Buckeyes on Saturday. “Hoping to have a good game this year.”
The then-No. 3 Buckeyes defeated the then-No. 1 Longhorns in Columbus last season in a highly celebrated matchup that centered around Manning’s debut. He struggled significantly against a formidable Buckeyes defense, completing 9 of 15 passes for just 38 yards and an interception in the first three quarters. Trailing 14-0, Manning rallied in the latter part of the game, going 8-for-15 for 132 yards and a touchdown.
“It’s a rough film to watch,” Manning admitted on Monday. “I don’t like watching it that much.”
This upcoming matchup marks the second consecutive high-profile loss the Longhorns have suffered against the Buckeyes, following a 28-14 defeat in the College Football Playoff semifinal at the Cotton Bowl in January 2025.
“It’s not every day you get a second chance to play another team after a rough loss,” Manning said. “So we’re all excited for the opportunity. I think we’ve all grown mentally and physically.”
Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian reviewed last year’s film and believes the Longhorns were physical and well-prepared, particularly in their running game, which produced 37 carries for 166 yards (a 4.5-yard average).
“People think we just went out there and laid an egg and had minus-10 yards rushing or something,” Sarkisian said. “We ran the ball pretty well. I felt like the passing game was not where it needed to be in the first two and a half, three quarters of that game. Then, when you get behind, you’ve got to start throwing the ball.”
Manning emphasized the value of a full year of experience and a complete offseason as he prepares for the rematch against the No. 1 Buckeyes (7:30 p.m. ET, ABC) at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium.
“This is why you come to a school like Texas, playing these big-time games,” Manning said. “I’m excited that it’s at home against a really good team, a good defense.”
According to DraftKings as of Monday afternoon, the No. 5-ranked Longhorns were slight favorites to defeat Ohio State. If this line holds, ESPN Research notes it will be only the 14th time since the FBS/FCS split in 1978 that the AP No. 1 team is an underdog in a regular-season game. This scenario occurred last year when the Buckeyes faced the Longhorns.
The game is set to feature immense star power, including three of the oddsmakers’ top seven Heisman Trophy contenders: Manning, Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith, and Buckeyes quarterback Julian Sayin.
ESPN Analytics rates the game a perfect 100.0 in pregame matchup quality, making it the highest-rated contest of the season. ESPN’s “College GameDay” will also be on site.
“It’s great for our game,” Sarkisian said. “The fact that we’ll have, whether it’s the [San Antonio] Spurs team, the [Houston] Rockets team, and so many other people on our sideline or theirs, is great because these are two great teams that are going to battle and compete against one another.”
Sarkisian estimated that up to 20 million people could watch the game on television, but stressed that his team must focus on their preparation rather than the surrounding hype.
“This will be the most-watched regular-season game, arguably, of all time,” Sarkisian stated. “That’s great for everybody else. For us, what are we doing today?”
Texas wide receiver Cam Coleman affirmed that the Longhorns are prepared and ready for the challenge.
“They can expect that we’re coming,” Coleman said. “We’re coming.”
