COLUMBUS, Ohio — Julian Sayin threw a 40-yard touchdown pass to Carnell Tate early in the fourth quarter, Ohio State’s defense made a couple of key stops in the red zone and the third-ranked Buckeyes opened their season Saturday with a 14-7 victory over No. 1 Texas.
It was the fourth time the AP’s No. 1 team in the preseason poll has met the previous season’s national champion in the opener. The defending champ has won the last three.
Arch Manning completed 17 of 30 passes for 170 yards, a touchdown and an interception for the Longhorns.
Texas was 1 of 5 on fourth down, including being stopped twice in the red zone. The Longhorns were driving for a tying touchdown late in the game, but Jack Endries was tackled by Caleb Downs 1 yard short of a first down to end hopes of a comeback.
Sayin was 13-of-20 passing for 126 yards. His best pass came with 13 minutes, 8 seconds remaining in the game, when Tate beat Texas cornerback Jaylon Guilbeau for the long score. Tate juggled the ball before pulling it down in the end zone to put the Buckeyes up by two touchdowns.
CJ Donaldson opened the scoring midway through the second quarter on a 1-yard run up the middle to cap a 13-play, 87-yard drive that took eight minutes off the clock. The Buckeyes benefitted from a pair of penalties, including a face-mask call on Colin Simmons that wiped out an incomplete pass on third-and-4.
Texas finally got points with 3:28 to play in the fourth quarter when Manning connected with Parker Livingstone on a 32-yard touchdown.
The Longhorns defense forced a three-and-out, giving Texas a chance to tie.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/08/30/ohio-state-texas-football/
