The Texas Longhorns were consumed with anger.
Texas had finished the 2025 college football season with a 9-3 record and was omitted from the College Football Playoff.
In the final weeks of the season — and for several months afterward — they were angry that their 14-7 loss to Ohio State was not rewarded.
Texas argued that had a premier non-conference game against the Buckeyes been replaced on the schedule, they’d have been 10-2 and in the Playoff.
That’s not true. Texas wasn’t left out for losing to Ohio State. Texas was left out for losing to Florida, which finished 4-8.
In all likelihood, the Playoff committee would’ve selected Notre Dame instead of Texas. The Fighting Irish also finished the regular season 10-2, but only lost to playoff teams Miami and Texas A&M.
Still, Texas was so upset that administrators asked why they should bother scheduling marquee opponents if they were not going to be rewarded for it.
But that’s ancient history.
The No. 4 Longhorns, who play host to No. 1 Ohio State in the rematch on Saturday, are no longer consumed with anger or postseason possibilities.
That’s what coach Steve Sarkisian said, anyway.
Speaking at his weekly press conference on Monday, Sarkisian said he was just focused on the chance to compete against the Buckeyes rather than possible playoff ramifications.
“I’m not so consumed with what the end result might be four months down the road,” Sarkisian said. “We’ve got other games to go play that can contribute one way or another to our success that we have in the season.
“What I am excited about is — as a competitor and for our team, the locker room and building full of competitors — that we have an opportunity to go against the best. And how are we going to perform against the best? Because our best is going to be needed for four quarters. That’s what excites me.”
Frankly, it should be an exciting game. It’s without question the premier national matchup of the week.
Texas (1-0) is following up on a 59-7 spanking of Texas State. Ohio State (1-0) opened with a 56-3 bludgeoning of Ball State.
Texas has a Heisman Trophy candidate in quarterback Arch Manning and a big-play receiver in Cam Coleman.
Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin is also a Heisman contender. Last year, he was a Heisman finalist. The Buckeyes also have receiver Jeremiah Smith, who may be the nation’s biggest big-play threat.
“He's arguably the best player in college football,” Sarkisian said of Smith. “The challenge is, with him, it's the size, speed, catch radius. He's a big, physical guy who can cover a lot of ground in a short amount of time. It doesn't always look like it, but it almost feels like it. You can feel his presence on the field.”
Containing Smith may be Texas’ top task toward triumphing. For either team, a victory would almost be a golden ticket to the Playoff.
Provided it’s not a blowout, a loss probably won’t hurt either.
Not as long there’s not another loss to 4-8 opponent somewhere down the road.
Around the SEC
Mike Huguenin contributed to this section.
This week’s games: Arizona State at No. 10 Texas A&M; No. 11 Oklahoma at Michigan; Western Kentucky at No. 2 Georgia; No. 12 Alabama at Kentucky; Mississippi State at Minnesota; Delaware at Vanderbilt; Campbell at Florida; No. 18 Tennessee at Georgia Tech; Towson at South Carolina; No. 1 Ohio State at No. 4 Texas; Louisiana Tech at No. 8 LSU; Charlotte at No. 9 Ole Miss; Southern Miss at Auburn; Arkansas at No. 20 Utah.
Who’s hot: Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss picked up where he left off last season in the Rebels’ last-play win over Louisville. He rolled up 396 yards of total offense. He had just two games last season with more total yards. He also accounted for four touchdowns in a game in which Ole Miss’ rushing attack was a disappointment. Ole Miss next faces Charlotte this week, which last week lost to The Citadel. That means the Rebels can work on a few things before former coach Lane Kiffin and LSU come to Oxford the following week.
Who’s not: Arkansas’ offense. In a week in which SEC teams went 16-0 and put up some ridiculous offensive numbers, Arkansas stood out. But not necessarily in a good way. Yes, the Hogs snapped a 10-game losing streak and had 415 total yards, but they were not overly impressive in beating FCS member North Alabama 31-14. Of particular note: They averaged an embarrassing 3.02 yards per carry against the Lions. They had 49 rushing attempts for 149 yards. Yikes. Arkansas gets a physical Utah defense this week.
Keep an eye on: Mississippi State quarterback Kamario Taylor drew raves from Bulldogs coaches all offseason. His play-making ability raved some to the core in a 62-13 beatdown of Sun Belt doormat Louisiana-Monroe. Taylor had 413 yards of total offense. He threw for 354 yards and four touchdowns and ran for 59 yards and another score. The 6-foot-4, 230-pound Taylor was a national top-125 recruit out of high school and was known for his athleticism. That was on full display against ULM. He’ll get a greater test in an intriguing Big Ten-SEC matchup with Minnesota.
The pressure is on: Last year, Texas quarterback Arch Manning did not live up to the immense preseason hype in a 14-7 loss to Ohio State. Though he undoubtedly played better down the stretch, his performance against the Buckeyes (17-of-30 for 170 yards) was a season-long talking point. It’ll be the same this year. Frankly, it’s not a stretch to suggest his play vs. Ohio State will determine whether or not the Longhorns win this time.
Best matchup: If you’re a conspiracy theorist, Michigan defeated Western Michigan last week only because the Big Ten replay officials cheated. If you’re a realist, Michigan’s offense just isn’t good. Overpaid quarterback Bryce Underwood is wildly overrated as a passer. Therefore, expect Oklahoma to crowd the line of scrimmage in an attempt to put the onus on Underwood’s arm. Michigan’s offensive line returns four starters from last season and is supposed to be an area of strength. The Sooners’ defensive line returned just one full-time starter — though it is beastly David Stone — and is an area of question for Oklahoma. If OU’s defensive line wins the line of scrimmage, it could be a Sooner blowout in The Big House.
