Texas vs. Ohio State Preview: Four Players to Watch

The Texas Longhorns head into 2025, widely considered one of the top teams to be competing for the national championship once January rolls around. Which is not surprising, considering the talent level Steve Sarkisian has been able to build in his tenure at Texas.

The same can be powerhouse of talent Ryan Day had built at Ohio State, with the Buckeyes being one of the pillars of college football as of late. Even after tying its program record of players drafted into the NFL, Ohio State still has numerous amounts of talented players on its roster.

The Longhorns' season won't take long to get interesting, with a Week 1 matchup set with the Buckeyes, as Texas travels up to Columbus to open the 2025 season. With both squads having their fair share of talented players, here are a few Buckeyes to keep an eye on when the teams face off on Aug. 30.

Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Jeremiah Smith (4) runs past Tennessee Volunteers defensive back Jermod McCoy (3) | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Jeremiah Smith, WR

It's not a surprise that the Buckeyes' second-year star wide receiver is the first named mention when thinking about Ohio State's squad. Jeremiah Smith burst onto the college football scene as a true freshman, recording 76 receptions for 1,315 yards and 15 touchdowns as the Buckeyes' No. 1 option en route to a national championship.

When both teams matched up a season ago, it was a rare, quiet game for Smith as he had just a single reception for three yards. The Longhorns' defense will look to replicate its success against a dangerous receiver like Smith; however, it will not be easy, as many other teams not named Texas found out.

Ohio State Safety Caleb Downs — Ohio State Buckeyes safety Caleb Downs (2) returns an interception during the second half | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Caleb Downs, S

The two-time All-American Caleb Downs is the backbone of both Ohio State's secondary and the entire defense. The junior safety recorded 81 tackles, two interceptions, and six pass deflections in his first season in Columbus after transferring over from Alabama. In the Cotton Bowl a season ago, Downs finished the game with five tackles and the game-sealing interception to punch the Buckeyes' ticket to the national championship.

Downs is widely considered one of the best defensive backs in all of college football, with the junior being named to every possible defensive award watchlist, possible the Thorpe Award, Bronko Nagurski Trophy, Bednarik Award, and Lott IMPACT Trophy, while also vying for the Maxwell and Walter Camp awards

Sonny Styles, LB

The Buckeyes feature another defensive stalwart, in senior linebacker Sonny Styles, who serves as the anchor to Ohio State's defneisne unit. 2024 Styles filled up the statsheet coming off of a 100-tackle season, which also featured 10.5 tackles-for-loss, six sacks, five pass delcfetion and a forced fumble.

The fourth-year linebacker is set for a huge final season in Columbus, as Styles was named to both the All-American and Butkus Award preseason honors. The Buckeyes will have a talented player manning the middle of their defense for his final year, a player who will certainly be playing on Sundays, as Pro Football Focus named Styles to their list of "10 linebackers to know in the 2026 NFL Draft."

Julian Sayin, QB

The one unproven player out of the four is Ohio State's new starting quarterback in redshirt-freshman Julian Sayin, after Sayin won the starting role in training cap. The young quarterback saw action in just four games, completing five of his twelve passes for 84 yards and a touchdown.

As a high school prospect, the former five-star was one of the best quarterbacks in his class, ranking as the No. 3 quarterback of the 2024 cycle and the No. 1 player in the state of California per 247Sports. The California native was also touted as the No. 20 player in the nation.