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What Wins, What Loses The Game For Texas Against Ohio State Next Season

The Texas Longhorns are playing in one of the biggest games of the college football season in Week 2.
Ohio State Buckeyes linebacker Arvell Reese pursues Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning during the NCAA football game at Ohio Stadium
Ohio State Buckeyes linebacker Arvell Reese pursues Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning during the NCAA football game at Ohio Stadium | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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The Texas Longhorns will host the Ohio State Buckeyes in Week 2 in a rematch so exciting it is already slated to be on ESPN's College GameDay.

The Buckeyes have bested the Longhorns in each of the last two seasons, however neither game was at Darrell K. Royal Memorial Stadium. Now, the Buckeyes are headed to Austin with the biggest show in college football in tow.

Here is what will win or lose Texas their highly-anticipated game against the Buckeyes.

Why the Longhorns Will Win: Overwhelming Offense

Texas Longhorns wide receiver Cam Coleman
Texas Longhorns wide receiver Cam Coleman celebrates his touchdown as the Auburn Tigers take on South Alabama Jaguars | Jake Crandall/ Advertiser / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Texas has scored just 21 points against the Buckeyes across the last two meetings with Ohio State. That is a trend that will not continue.

The Longhorns are returning six offensive starters from last season, including quarterback Arch Manning, offensive tackle Trevor Goosby and wide receiver Ryan Wingo. Filling in the gaps from last season are exciting transfers like wide receiver Cam Coleman and running backs Raleek Brown and Hollywood Smothers.

Using those weapons is head coach Steve Sarkisian, who is one of the best offensive play-callers in the sport. His mind combined with those talents should result in a game full of fireworks.

The Longhorns will have to score against the Ohio State defense, which is never an easy feat, especially since defensive coordinator Matt Patricia took over. However, the Buckeyes have to replace eight players who were selected in this year's NFL Draft, which is no small feat.

If the Longhorns win, it will be because Sarkisian unleashed the full potential of a stocked armory of offensive weapons on an Ohio State defense that has not yet adjusted to living in a post-Reese-Downs-and-Styles world.

Why Texas Will Lose: Defense Being a Step Behind

The Longhorns and Buckeyes are both introducing new play-callers this season. For Texas, it is defensive coordinator Will Muschamp and for Ohio State, it is offensive coordinator Arthur Smith.

Muschamp uses a pressure-heavy scheme that keeps quarterbacks and offensive play-callers guessing on where the next blitzer will come from. Smith uses a steady heavy-personnel ground attack that eats up clock and stays on schedule.

Both coaches are extremely talented and well-seasoned, so who can install their system better is anyone's guess. Both sides are full of capable players, so the game will truly come down to the minds of those coaches.

If Muschamp falls a step behind Smith, it could spell doom for Texas' chances.

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Carter Long
CARTER LONG

Carter Long is a sophomore Journalism and Sports Media student at the University of Texas at Austin. He is also a general sports reporter for the Daily Texan on the baseball beat. Long is from Houston and supports everything H-town.