Overview

• Kickoff is Saturday at noon ET on Fox in Columbus, a rematch of last season’s CFP semifinal that Ohio State won 28-14 en route to the national title.
• Arch Manning makes his first start as Texas’ full‑time quarterback after two career starts, enters as an early Heisman favorite per sportsbooks, and says the Longhorns are hunting with a “red dot on everyone else.”
• Ohio State turns to redshirt freshman Julian Sayin for his first career start, with Ryan Day emphasizing simply finding a way to win to open the Buckeyes’ title defense.
• Despite Texas’ No. 1 preseason ranking, BetMGM lists Ohio State as a slight favorite, an uncommon scenario for a top‑ranked team in its opener, according to AP and ESPN.
• Analyst Chris Fowler advises Manning not to “be Superman” in his road debut as media frame the Sayin‑Manning matchup as a possible kickoff to a new wave of quarterback stars.