No. 3 Ohio State opened the season with a defensive masterpiece, knocking off top-ranked Texas 14–7 on Saturday in front of a raucous Ohio Stadium crowd.
Sophomore quarterback Julian Sayin, in his first collegiate start, threw a 40-yard touchdown to Carnell Tate in the fourth quarter to give the Buckeyes a commanding 14–0 lead before Texas scored late. Sayin completed 13 of 20 passes for 126 yards in a steady debut.
“I thought he handled himself well,” head coach Ryan Day said. “He took care of the ball, made throws when he needed to, and when it wasn’t there, he didn’t force it. I probably could have given him even more.”
The Buckeyes’ defense, under new coordinator Matt Patricia, controlled the game from the start, forcing turnovers, getting key fourth-down stops, and keeping Texas’ high-powered offense off the board until the final minutes.
“Every time you get a fourth-down stop, it’s like a turnover,” Day said. “The interception was huge, but stopping them in midfield was just as big.”
Linebacker Arvell Reese and safety Caleb Downs led a unit that mixed coverages, pressured Texas quarterback Arch Manning, and limited the Longhorns to 170 passing yards and just one score.
“We showed the country that we didn’t go anywhere,” cornerback Jermaine Mathews said. “This is still the best defense in the country.”
Patricia praised the crowd for making Ohio Stadium deafening at key moments. “You don’t get that kind of noise in the NFL,” he said. “I loved it.”
Texas coach Steve Sarkisian credited Ohio State’s execution. “They played a disciplined game—zero turnovers, only two penalties—and they capitalized when they had chances,” he said.
The win was Ohio State’s 25th straight season-opening victory and continued the Buckeyes’ run of dominance against top-10 opponents, positioning them firmly back in the national title conversation.
