Steve Sarkisian Previews Texas Longhorns 'Daunting' Opener vs. Ohio State

As the Texas Longhorns are set to open the season at Ohio State, head coach Steve Sarkisian is looking back on his past for help in preparation for the game.

Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day and Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian shake hands following a press conference at AT&T Stadium prior to the College Football Playoff semifinal at the Cotton Bowl Classic in Arlington, Texas on Jan. 9, 2025. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

When the Texas Longhorns open fall camp in just a few weeks, things will be a little different. They will go through the first two weeks of regular camp before turning the page and beginning to prepare for their first game.

And unlike years past, where the Longhorns would take on an opponent that they are heavy favorites against in Week 1, they are kicking off the season on the road against the defending national champion Ohio State Buckeyes, the type of marquee matchup that has typically come in Week 2 over the last few years for Texas.

Having an opponent like Ohio State in Week 1 is very new territory for Sarkisian at Texas, though it isn't the first time this has happened in his coaching career. Still, he admitted during the Texas High School Coaches Association convention that this year's matchup against Ohio State is probably the toughest season opener he's been a part of.

Steve Sarkisian Calls Ohio State "Daunting Challenge"

“I’ve been down this road a couple of different times throughout my career,” Sarkisian said. “This is probably the most daunting challenge of a first game. ... way back in ’03, we opened at Auburn when I was at SC and that was a heck of a challenge. We had a new quarterback in Matt Leinart and a couple of freshman running backs in Reggie Bush and Lendale White.

“We were a young team and had a great defense that year, and found a way to win on the road against what might have been the preseason No. 1 team in the country at the time in Auburn."

Sounds familiar, right? A young team with a "great defense." That scenario sounds very similar to what the Longhorns are looking like on paper heading into 2025. They have a lot of new faces on offense; they return just three starters on that unit, compared to the five on defense.

It is a very quick turnaround for Texas to get that many new faces ready to play in Game 1. But it is not a challenge unique to them. The Buckeyes are also dealing with that same challenge as they only return seven starters total between their offense and defense.

However, where the Longhorns may hold the edge is that while both will have first-year starters at quarterback, it is Texas' Arch Manning who boasts the most experience already. Manning has already played in 12 games with two starts in his first two seasons. Meanwhile, Julian Sayin, the favorite to become the Buckeyes' starter, has only seen action in four games.

Despite Ohio State being the defending national champions, it seems Texas is set to open the season as the AP's preseason No. 1 team. That ranking may not last long, depending on how they handle their business in Columbus.