Texas Longhorns Fall to Ohio State in Season Opener

Austin, September 3, 2025

News Summary

The Texas Longhorns faced a tough loss against the No. 3 Ohio State Buckeyes, ending the game 14-7. This defeat resulted in a significant drop in their rankings, moving from No. 1 to No. 6 in the Coaches Poll and No. 7 in the AP Top 25. Despite struggles on offense, the Longhorns’ defense performed well, limiting Ohio State’s yardage. Head coach Steve Sarkisian reflects on the game, emphasizing the need for improvement as the team looks forward to their next match against San Jose State.

Austin

The Texas Longhorns faced a challenging start to their season after falling to the No. 3 Ohio State Buckeyes with a final score of 14-7 during their season opener. This defeat significantly impacted their rankings, dropping the Longhorns from No. 1 to No. 6 in the Coaches Poll and No. 7 in the AP Top 25.

Texas struggled offensively, managing only 336 total yards in the game, in contrast to their strong performance last season where they averaged 437.5 yards per game. Quarterback Arch Manning completed 17 of 30 passes, resulting in 170 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. Despite the offensive setback, the Longhorns’ defense showcased their skills by limiting Ohio State to just 215 total yards and keeping star receiver Jeremiah Smith to a mere 43 receiving yards.

Coaching Decisions and Player Outlook

Head coach Steve Sarkisian acknowledged his mistakes in play-calling during the game and highlighted the necessity for the team to improve their scoring. While the loss was disappointing, Sarkisian remains optimistic about the team’s potential moving forward this season.

The consequences of this loss extended beyond the field, with reports indicating that one bettor lost $1 million and another $550,000 as a result of the game’s outcome.

Upcoming Game and Recovery

The Longhorns are set to play San Jose State in their home opener on Saturday at noon ET, which will be broadcast live on ABC. This matchup provides the team an opportunity to bounce back from their recent defeat and regain momentum in their season.

Cross Country Highlights

In other news related to Texas Athletics, the Texas men’s cross country team emerged victorious at the Stormy Seas Opener. The team benefitted from strong performances by younger athletes, including freshmen Aidan Torres and Joaquin De La Cruz, who made impressive collegiate debuts with times of 14:40.61 and 14:52.00 respectively. The team’s next competition will take place at the University of the Incarnate Word Invitational in San Antonio on September 12.

The cross country squad will shift gears in upcoming races, moving to the more challenging eight-kilometer courses. Among the returning stars is Isaac Alonso, who finished the Stormy Seas Opener with a solid time of 15:09.74 and qualified for the NCAA championships last season.

Texas College Football Updates

Other Texas college football teams also experienced varying outcomes over the weekend. The Texas A&M Aggies faced off against Utah State, while SMU was matched against Baylor. In a remarkable win, Texas Tech dominated Arkansas-Pine Bluff 67-7, although they saw their starting quarterback Behren Morton sustain an injury during the game. The Texas-San Antonio Roadrunners were competitive against A&M but ultimately fell short with a score of 42-24.

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Additional Resources

• Statesman
• Wikipedia: Texas Longhorns football
• On3
• Google Search: Steve Sarkisian Texas football
• Burnt Orange Nation
• Google Scholar: Texas Longhorns Football
• Dallas News
• Encyclopedia Britannica: Texas Longhorns Football
• CBS Sports
• Google News: Texas Longhorns Football

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