Texas Longhorns vs. Ohio State Buckeyes Way-Too-Early Preview: Keys to Victory

In the 2025-26 season opener, the Longhorns have to do these things right to give them a chance at this important road win.

Jan 10, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes tight end Will Kacmarek (89) is tackled by Texas Longhorns linebacker Liona Lefau (18) and defensive back Michael Taaffe (16) during the third quarter of the College Football Playoff semifinal against the Texas Longhorns in the Cotton Bowl at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Though the Texas Longhorns were knocked out of the College Football Playoff at the hands of the Ohio State Buckeyes, not all was bad in the game. In its second straight meeting with their Big 10 foes, the Longhorns will look to take what worked and discard what didn't against the eventual national champions.

Due to the different circumstances and various roster changes however, the game also feels like a whole new matchup. So, considering both the Cotton Bowl and the personnel adjustments that have taken place since, here are three keys to victory for Texas on Aug. 30:

Prevent Jeremiah Smith from taking over the game

Jan 20, 2025; Atlanta, GA, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Jeremiah Smith (4) runs with the ball for a touchdown during the first half the CFP National Championship college football game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Texas did a phenomenal job on the freshman in the Cotton Bowl, as Smith only caught one pass for three yards resulting from a Texas gameplan that included constantly clouding and doubling the receiver. After the dominant season that he had, Texas's limitation of Smith came as a surprise and was key to the Longhorns staying in the game. It was a one-score game until late in the fourth quarter, with the talented Buckeyes offense never really able to fully get going.

Restricting Smith's production a second time is an even tougher task. Now no longer at a neutral site, the Texas secondary will be entrusted to restrain Smith at The Horseshoe. The Longhorns still have main contributors to last season's secondary, such as safety Michael Taaffe and cornerbacks Malik Muhammad and Jaylon Guilbeau. They need to remember the points of success in defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski's scheme in the national semifinal and stay grounded in the road environment to prevent Smith from taking over the game like he's capable of doing.

Texas has a better chance of leaving Ohio with a win by forcing other players beat them.

Be in control of the trenches on the offensive side of the ball

There is a lot of turnover and transition for the Texas offensive and Ohio State defensive lines this season. For both units, a quartet of linemen made their way to the NFL. Steve Sarkisian will have four new starters on his offensive line as a result, the only returner being right guard DJ Campbell, though left tackle Trevor Goosby stepped in for injured Kelvin Banks Jr. against Texas A&M and in the SEC Championship. Growing pains as the Texas unit takes its first in-game snaps together may be inevitable, but the Longhorns need to be above competent at the line of scrimmage against the Buckeyes.

Being in control of the trenches would lead to some stability for quarterback Arch Manning and a capability to establish the run game. Texas could have a two-headed monster alongside Manning in the backfield this season, with Quintrevion Wisner teaming up with CJ Baxter, who is rejoining the Longhorns after missing all of his sophomore season with a knee injury. If the running backs have room to work with and Manning ample time to utilize his athleticism and arm, the Longhorns have a good chance to dictate the flow of the game. And in a hostile, loud stadium, that would be a blessing.

Take advantage of and convert on special teams

The Longhorns looked towards the transfer portal to add a new kicker and punter this offseason. The commitment of Texas State kicker Mason Shipley caused the exit of three-year starter Bert Auburn to Miami. Now, Shipley is the favorite over Will Stone to earn Texas's kicking duties come Week 1. Texas also added Utah's Jack Bouwmeester to be their new punter, replacing Michael Kern. Texas had an inconsistent year on special teams, especially in the kicking department. Auburn went 16-25 on field goals in 2024, specifically struggling on attempts from 40 yards and longer, going 6-14. For the Bobcats last season, Shipley went 15-19 on field goals and showed his skill from deeper -- he went 4-5 on attempts between 40 and 49 yards and 2-3 on 50+ yarders.

An ability to convert on special teams opportunities is crucial towards de-escalating the home energy that Ohio Stadium will have on Aug. 30. Winning the field position battle and being dependable on field goals have to be normalized in the 2025-26 season, and that starts against the Buckeyes.