Arch Manning's debut as the starting quarterback for Texas did not live up to the hype. Ohio State's defense dominated Manning and the Longhorns' offense in the Buckeyes' (then ranked No. 3) 14-7 victory over top-ranked Texas. Until early in the fourth quarter, when Ohio State already led 14-0, Manning had accumulated just 38 passing yards.

The defending national champions held a 7-0 lead for most of the game until Julian Sayin connected with Carnell Tate for a 40-yard touchdown pass with 13:08 left to play. That capped a seven-play, 68-yard drive.

That second touchdown felt like the dagger, given the Texas offense's immense struggle to move the ball. It officially put the game out of reach after Texas failed to score on its ensuing drive when a Manning pass on fourth down in the end zone fell incomplete.

The incomplete pass came just a few plays after Manning appeared to throw his second interception of the game. He forced a pass over the middle that was tipped by a closing defender and seemingly caught by linebacker Sonny Styles as he dove to the ground. However, Styles did not have full control of the ball, and the interception was overturned upon review.

Texas cut the lead to seven points with 3:28 left and had one final chance to at least tie the game and send it to overtime. However, Manning made inaccurate throws on second and third down when the Longhorns reached midfield on their final possession, and his pass on fourth down, under pressure, was completed short of the line to gain.

The third-down pass to Ryan Wingo would have been an easy first down and could have resulted in a big gain. Instead, the ball arrived behind and a bit high for the receiver, who couldn't make the catch.

Manning entered the season as the preseason Heisman favorite, thanks to Texas's No. 1 ranking and his iconic last name. However, the nephew of Peyton and Eli Manning was making only his third career start and his first in a hostile road environment.

At times, he definitely looked like an inexperienced quarterback. While Manning showcased his running ability to extend plays, he also seemed indecisive and made throws that were late or clearly forced. He finished the game 17-of-30 passing for 170 yards, one touchdown, and one interception.

The Texas offensive line didn't help much either, with a lack of push in the running game and three false start penalties.

The Longhorns began the season having replaced four starters on the offensive line and failed to score a touchdown in the third quarter when they went for it on fourth down from inside the Ohio State 1-yard line. It was Texas's best drive of the game, but it was thwarted when the line was simply overpowered by Ohio State's defensive front, and Manning couldn't get into the end zone on a QB sneak.

It was a dynamic season opener for an Ohio State defense that also underwent significant changes. The Buckeyes lost many key starters from the championship team and had a new coordinator in former Detroit Lions head coach Matt Patricia.

But the Ohio State defense didn't give Manning many easy passing options, and when he threw short passes to the flats, defenders were ready to swarm.

Sayin, meanwhile, went 13-for-20 for 126 yards and a touchdown in his first start for the Buckeyes. The five-star recruit from the class of 2024 won the starting job during the offseason, and the Buckeyes clearly had a conservative game plan for him. Ohio State ran the ball 34 times for just 77 yard