Arch Manning never found a rhythm against Ohio State’s premier defense.
In first career start, Julian Sayin outperforms Arch Manning.
Ohio State and Texas show off their defenses, but some offensive wounds were self-inflicted.
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Consider this the Quinn Ewers and Will Howard appreciation game.
Or, call it the Arvell Reese destroys Texas game. Ohio State’s linebacker left a path of devastation, and the Buckeyes’ defense wrecked the nation’s No. 1-ranked team. Check Arch Manning for tire tracks.
If not for the seven letters stitched across the back of the Texas quarterback’s uniform, you wouldn’t have known he’s a Manning.
And if the nation’s No. 1 team was in attendance here at the Horseshoe, you could’ve fooled me. You could convince me, though, that Ohio State retains a premier defense. The No. 2 Buckeyes prevailed, 14-7, in a game where slugfest might be too kind of term.
At times, this looked like an ugh-fest, but Ohio State won’t mind a win that’ll look good on the résumé.
Manning looked like a struggling first-year starter, which he is. Never mind all the preseason hype or his stats from romps last season against hapless Mississippi State and Louisiana-Monroe.
This was Ohio State, sweetheart, the defending national champions, and Lee Corso proved smart putting on the Brutus Buckeye head for his final pick on “College GameDay.”
Texas’ ballyhooed quarterback, the latest from a line of the first family of college football, repeatedly misfired in his first start against a ranked opponent.
Who’s the backup quarterback at Texas? Anyone know?
No, I’m not being serious, but this should put to bed the silly idea that Texas played the wrong quarterback last season. The Longhorns could’ve used Ewers in this one.
Ohio State, too, missed the exploits Howard supplied throughout the Buckeyes’ romp throughout the College Football Playoff. Credit Julian Sayin with this much, though: In his first career start, Ohio State’s redshirt freshman quarterback outplayed a Manning and executed the game plan. There’s no shame in that.
Sayin landed a haymaker, too, when he connected with Carnell Tate on a 40-year, fourth-quarter touchdown. That gave him one more deep strike than Manning completed, until his stat-boosting completions and a touchdown in the closing minutes that showed not all hope is lost on this Texas season.
Arch Manning never finds rhythm in Texas’ loss to Ohio State
Manning bounced his first throw 3 yards short of his intended target. By halftime, he’d completed five passes for a grand total of 26. He finished 17 of 30 for 170 yards.
In one of Manning’s few attempts to stretch the field, he floated a feeble pass that Jermaine Matthews easily intercepted.
Manning never found a rhythm until late in the fourth quarter, where he had 98 yards passing in the final five minutes after the Longhorns were down 14 points. One play following one of his best completions, he nearly threw a second interception when he forced a pass into tight coverage. He made a handful of nice runs, but Ohio State kept him out of the end zone on a fourth-down quarterback sneak from the 1-yard line.
So much for Steve Sarkisian’s supposed play-calling brilliance. The Texas coach didn’t do enough to help his quarterback.
Arch Manning not only star who struggled
The Ohio State students tossing beer die before kickoff on front lawns while tailgating on beautiful day here showcased midseason form. These two offenses showed Week 1 form.
Give the defenses ample credit. Both are good units, and it will take more defensive efforts like this one from Texas to keep the Longhorns in the playoff hunt. But, some of the offensive woes were self-inflicted.
Manning had company in the Heisman-hopefuls-who-underwhelmed department. Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith dropped two passes in a span of three plays, prompting him to change his gloves.
Now, that’s some sophomore seasoning. Know when it’s the gloves’ fault!
Ohio State’s best attributes in the lone first-half touchdown drive became Texas penalties and grueling runs between the tackles by CJ Donaldson Jr.
Grueling, grimy and gritty worked for Ohio State, thanks in part to a defense that supplied four critical fourth-down stops. That included a stop with 87 seconds remaining that clinched the victory.
After Corso made his final pick, the 90-year-old retiring pregame show legend navigated up to the press box. He enjoyed a couple of hot dogs using a knife and fork, still fully clad in his tuxedo. He looked on as one quarterback struggled to play up to his surname, another quarterback showed some promise, and Ohio State’s defense ensured Corso’s final pick hit the mark.
Blake Toppmeyer is the USA TODAY Network’s senior national college football columnist. Email him at BToppmeyer@gannett.com and follow him on X @btoppmeyer.