Arch Manning and his Texas Longhorns ambled into The Horseshoe in Columbus, Ohio, to face the Ohio State Buckeyes as a rarity: The top-ranked team in the nation as a +1.5 underdog.
However, the Buckeyes validated that handicap for almost the entire game, as their defense set the tempo from the opening whistle to the last.
How Did the Buckeyes Put the Clamps on Arch Manning?
OSU defensive coordinator Matt Patricia couldn’t have been prouder of his unit after the game.
“I think the guys have just done a great job of learning some different nuances, the things that we’ve added, and just going out and executing at a high level,” Patricia told WBNS 10TV. “So, just so proud of them and give them the credit. Communication I thought in the back end was great. I think Caleb (Downs) and those guys did an unbelievable job.”
On his first offensive play of 2025, Manning had wide receiver DeAndre Moore Jr. wide open on a medium-range route and threw it into the ground.
Maybe Patricia saw something right away or planned it. Still, he schemed his defense to eliminate the deep passing game, leaving the short area wide open for Manning to exploit.
Manning seemed hesitant and nervous instead of taking what the Buckeyes gave him. Passes he should usually make were uncatchable. He was either way out in front or behind his receivers, and he finished the first half with five completions on 10 attempts for just 26 yards.
The Longhorns’ red-zone troubles also reared their ugly head again.
Texas assembled an effective drive in the third quarter and moved to the Buckeyes’ nine-yard line. Then Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian ran the ball thrice, and on fourth-and-goal, watched helplessly as Manning was stopped on a quarterback sneak.
THE BUCKEYES STOP TEXAS ON 4TH & GOAL @OhioStateFB pic.twitter.com/IaBbb4cut7
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) August 30, 2025
The Texas defense held strong and forced a punt from Ohio State deep in their own territory, but Manning threw an interception, which helped lead to the Buckeyes extending their lead to 14-0 early in the fourth quarter.
Manning sparked hope in the eyes of Texas when he led a 60-yard touchdown drive late in the fourth quarter, capped by a pretty 32-yard pass to Parker Livingstone, cutting OSU’s lead to 14-7.
The Texas defense held one more time and forced a punt, giving Manning one last chance from his own 15. He drove the Longhorns to midfield, but Patricia’s defense took away deep throws. Manning then effectively ended the game completing a three-yard pass on fourth-and-5 that allowed OSO to run out the clock in victory formation.
It was an ugly win for OSU, but Patricia’s defense will savor it for now.