What Happened the Last Time the Texas Longhorns Played the Ohio State Buckeyes

After hosting the Texas State Bobcats to open up the 2026 campaign, the Texas Longhorns will welcome a much higher-level opponent in Week 2 when the Ohio State Buckeyes come to Austin.

The two teams have only squared off five times before, and this game will serve as the third in a span of two years, with the last two games playing the role of quite the barnburners as well as a massive part in both teams' College Football Playoff hopes.

Ohio State has won three of the five matches, and the two opened up the 2025 season with what many expected to be a "Game of the Century" last season in Columbus.

What Happened Last Time Between the Texas Longhorns and Ohio State Buckeyes?

Ohio State Buckeyes linebacker Arvell Reese (8) tackles Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning (16) in the second quarter of their game at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio on Aug 30, 2025. | Kyle Robertson/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

August 30, 2025. Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio.

You couldn't dream up a better matchup than this: the reigning national champion Ohio State Buckeyes hosting the preseason No. 1 Texas Longhorns, with quarterback Arch Manning making his first road start as the QB1 for Steve Sarkisian.

It didn't start out the best for the Horns on the road, as the offense struggling to get the wheels turning early in the contest, and the Buckeyes would score first with a rushing touchdown by running back CJ Donaldson Jr. midway through the second quarter in the defense-heavy battle.

Ohio State held the 7-0 lead into halftime, and would add to that lead early in the fourth quarter with a 40-yard passing touchdown from quarterback Julian Sayin to Carnell Tate, the latter of whom was recently drafted fourth overall by the Tennessee Titans in this year's NFL draft.

Knowing they couldn't afford a shutout, Manning and the Longhorns put together a quick four-play drive late in the fourth quarter that resulted in the sophomore quarterback finding wide receiver Parker Livingstone for a 32-yard touchdown to cut the Ohio State lead to 14-7.

When Ohio State head coach Ryan Day decided to trust his defense and punt with 2:26 left in the game, Manning tried to make his first road start one to remember, but a fourth down pass to tight end Jack Endries only went for three of the five yards required for conversion, and Sayin kneeled out the clock to put Texas at 0-1 to begin the season.

The two teams, sure to start the season ranked high in the AP standings, meet at DKR on September 12.

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