Arch Manning Eyes Redemption in Ohio State Rematch

The Texas Longhorns will host the No. 1 Ohio State Buckeyes on Saturday, September 12, at 7:30 p.m. ET in Austin’s Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. The game marks the second meeting of the season, a rematch of the 2025 season-opener that ended in a 14-7 loss for Texas. Texas enters the contest ranked No. 5, while Ohio State remains atop the polls.

Paul Finebaum Puts Pressure On Arch Manning, Steve Sarkisian Before Ohio State

Arch Manning’s first start as Texas’ full-time quarterback came on Aug. 30, 2025, at Ohio Stadium. The Buckeyes limited him to 170 yards, one touchdown and an interception, and Texas managed only seven points—the fewest scored by the Longhorns since Nov. 6, 2021. A year later, Manning returned after a dominant 59-7 victory over Texas State on Sept. 5, 2026, in which he threw for 305 yards and four touchdowns, sparking optimism that he has grown since the 2025 debut.

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• 2025 Ohio State game: Manning completed 17 of 30 passes for 170 yards, one touchdown, one interception; Texas scored 7 points on 1-for-5 fourth-down attempts.

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• 2026 Texas State game: Manning completed 20 of 27 passes for 305 yards, four touchdowns, one interception; Texas amassed 516 total yards, including 111 rushing yards.

Dan Orlovsky Says Arch Manning Looks Like Best QB In America

• Ohio State’s 2026 Week 1 win over Ball State: 56-3, with the defense allowing only 165 total yards.

Dan Orlovsky Says Arch Manning Looks Like Best QB In America

• Series record: Ohio State leads 3-2, having won the last two meetings, including a 28-14 College Football Playoff semifinal on Jan. 10, 2025.

Paul Finebaum Puts Pressure On Arch Manning, Steve Sarkisian Before Ohio State

College football analyst Paul Finebaum warned that Manning must deliver a “monster game,” stressing that the 2025 loss still casts a shadow over the quarterback and that the outcome will reflect on Coach Sarkisian. ESPN analyst Heather Dinich echoed concerns about the supporting cast, stating that the offensive line and running game must improve for Texas to compete with Ohio State’s defense.

Paul Finebaum Puts Pressure On Arch Manning, Steve Sarkisian Before Ohio State

• “Not a lot of good memories a year ago,” — Arch Manning

ESPN

• “It's a rough film to watch,” — Arch Manning

ESPN

• “I hate to come down on Arch, but he has to have a monster game because that game last year still shadows him a little bit,” — Paul Finebaum, college football analyst

Sports Illustrated

• “Well, I love the physicality. Obviously, there's gonna be plenty of things that I know we were screaming and yelling on the headset about,” — Steve Sarkisian, Texas coach

USA Today

• “Well, I thought Arch was really good, but the offensive line and the running game have to be better for them to beat Ohio State,” — Heather Dinich

Sports Illustrated

The rematch is scheduled for September 12 at 7:30 p.m. ET on ABC, with ESPN’s College GameDay broadcasting from the Texas campus earlier that morning. The result will influence national rankings and Texas’ trajectory toward a potential national-title run.

Paul Finebaum Puts Pressure On Arch Manning, Steve Sarkisian Before Ohio State