There are going to be plenty of fascinating individual matchups when Ohio State walks into Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on Saturday night.
Arch Manning against a new-look Ohio State defense.
Julian Sayin against a Texas defense led by Will Muschamp.
Jeremiah Smith against a Longhorn secondary that has had plenty of success limiting him in the past.
Those are the matchups everybody will be watching.
But underneath all of them is another question that could determine how this game is played:
Texas Has a Choice to Make
One of the biggest advantages Ohio State has offensively is that Texas can’t realistically devote all of its resources to stopping one thing.
Jeremiah Smith is a problem.
Julian Sayin is a problem.
Ohio State’s receiving corps is talented.
The offensive line is experienced.
And the Buckeyes have backs capable of making plays.
But if Texas can eliminate the run game, the Longhorns can start simplifying the problem.
That’s what makes this so important.
If Ohio State is consistently gaining four, five or six yards on first and second down, Texas has to respect everything.
The Longhorns have to keep defenders closer to the line of scrimmage. They have to account for the possibility of play-action. They have to respect Sayin’s ability to use his legs. And they can’t simply build every coverage call around finding Jeremiah Smith.
But if Ohio State is getting stuffed on early downs?
The equation changes.
Second-and-10.
Third-and-8.
Long passing situations.
Now Texas knows exactly what it wants Ohio State to do.
And that’s when a talented defense can become much more aggressive.
This Isn’t About Rushing for 200 Yards
There’s an important distinction here.
Ohio State doesn’t necessarily need to run for 200-plus yards to win this game.
The goal should be efficiency and balance. (Become a paid subscriber to listen to our latest pod to get my thoughts on “efficiency in the run game”)
If the Buckeyes can consistently stay ahead of the chains, that may be enough.
Think about what that does for the offense.
A successful run on first down creates manageable second downs.
A manageable second down keeps the playbook open.
Keeping the playbook open gives Arthur Smith more opportunities to manipulate the Texas defense.
And suddenly Julian Sayin isn’t being asked to consistently convert third-and-long against an aggressive defense.
That’s how the run game can impact the passing game without necessarily producing huge rushing numbers.
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And Then There’s Jeremiah Smith
This might be the most important part.
Texas knows Jeremiah Smith is the best receiver on the field.
The Longhorns have had success limiting his production in previous meetings, and there is little reason to believe they’re going to suddenly ignore him Saturday.
So what happens if Texas decides to put extra attention on No. 4?
Ohio State needs an answer.
The run game can be that answer.
If Texas wants to dedicate another defender to Smith, Ohio State should be willing to run into the space that creates.
If Texas keeps its safeties deep to protect against explosive passes, Ohio State should be willing to run underneath that structure.
If Texas brings defenders into the box to stop the run, that’s when Smith and the rest of the receivers can get opportunities downfield.
That’s the chess match.
And it all starts with whether Texas believes Ohio State can actually run the football.
The Ball State Game Gave Us Some Clues
Ohio State’s 237 rushing yards shouldn’t be dismissed simply because of the opponent.
There were things worth watching.
The Buckeyes created explosive runs.
Bo Jackson showed the ability to turn relatively ordinary opportunities into big gains (As did Jakobi Jackson and Legend Bey).
The offensive line was able to create movement.
And Ohio State showed a willingness to stay balanced while Sayin was operating efficiently through the air.
But Saturday will answer the bigger question:
Was that the beginning of a legitimate identity, or was it simply what happens when a talented Ohio State offense plays Ball State?
We don’t know yet.
That’s what makes this matchup so interesting.
Can Ohio State make Texas respect the run?
If the answer is yes, it could open up the entire offense.
If the answer is no, Texas can make Julian Sayin carry more of the burden—and that’s exactly what the Longhorns want.
Saturday will give us our first real answer about Ohio State’s offense.
Not whether it can score 56 points against Ball State.
Not whether Julian Sayin can complete 84 percent of his passes.
But whether this offense can impose its will against another elite team.
And that may start with something as simple as running the football.
Buckeye Film Breakdown will return soon with some fresh content.
