On Saturday, the Ohio State Buckeyes picked up a huge win to open up their 2025 season at home against the number one ranked Texas Longhorns. The Buckeyes have since taken over the number one spot themselves, a fitting place for them considering they are in fact the reigning national champions.
The big storyline out of this game was Ohio State's dominance over Texas quarterback Arch Manning, who did not look at all like the Heisman Trophy contender that many expect him to be, thanks in large part to the Buckeyes' defensive brilliance.
Still, it doesn't appear that members of Ohio State football themselves are totally satisfied with the performance.
“For an opener, they were pretty poised and calm. But now we've got to take the next step,” said cornerbacks coach Tim Walton, per of Eleven Warriors. “We've got to execute. We've got to keep playing with great effort.”
He also spoke on the play specifically of safety Jaylen McClain against Texas.
“He was very consistent during training camp. He plays with great effort and then it showed in the game. He tackled well in space, he communicated well and he played fast. He had a great game as an opener, as a young guy,” he said.
Overall, it was a successful day for the Buckeyes, with the final score of 14-7 not truly encapsulating how much better Ohio State looked than Texas for the vast majority of the afternoon.
Repeats in the college football world are somewhat rare, especially considering the vast array of talent that Ohio State watched walk out the door this offseason.
However, this team does still have Jeremiah Smith and Caleb Downs on its roster, and if Saturday's result was any indication, Ohio State is fully locked in on winning a second straight national championship.
