In the marquee game of Week 2, Ohio State and Texas will square off for the third consecutive season in a heavyweight showdown between two national title contenders that could foreshadow a College Football Playoff matchup later this season.
The Buckeyes have won each of the previous two meetings. Can they make it three straight against the Longhorns and hand Arch Manning a second consecutive loss to Ohio State as a starting quarterback? Or will Manning, Cam Coleman and Texas' highly talented defense be enough to stop Heisman Trophy candidates Jeremiah Smith and Julian Sayin?
All that and more will be settled under the lights at DKR Texas Memorial Stadium when the top-ranked Buckeyes and third-ranked Longhorns kick off at 7:30 p.m. ET on Saturday,
Sept. 5.
Watch Texas vs. Ohio State football live with Fubo (free trial)
Both teams handled their business in Week 1 with commanding wins over Ball State and Texas State. Sayin finished with 320 yards and three touchdown passes, two of which were thrown to Smith. Manning, meanwhile, completed 20-of-27 passes for 305 yards and four touchdown passes himself.
Here's everything you need to know about Saturday's matchup, including channel information, kickoff time, odds and our prediction:
What TV channel is Texas vs Ohio State on today?
- TV channel: ABC
- Streaming: ESPN App | Fubo (free trial)
- Location: DKR Texas Memorial Stadium (Austin, Texas)
- Date: Saturday, Sept. 12
Week 2's matchup between Texas and Ohio State will be broadcast on ABC with Chris Fowler and Kirk Herbstreit calling the game from the booth, while Holly Rowe and Laura Rutledge report from the sidelines. Streaming options include the ESPN app (with a TV login) and Fubo, which carries the ESPN family of networks and offers a free trial to new subscribers.
Watch Texas vs. Ohio State football live with Fubo (free trial)
Texas vs Ohio State start time today
Texas and Ohio State are scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m. ET.
Texas vs Ohio State Tech odds
Odds courtesy of BetMGM as of Thursday, Sept. 10. Odds subject to change.
- Moneyline: Texas (-105) | Ohio State (+100)
- Spread: Texas (-1.5)
- Over/under: 45.5
Texas vs Ohio State predictions, picks
Here's a compilation of picks from USA TODAY Sports' experts from Saturday's game:
- John Brice: Texas
- Matt Hayes: Ohio State
- Jordan Mendoza: Texas
- Paul Myerberg: Ohio State
- Erick Smith: Ohio State
- Eddie Timanus: Ohio State
- Blake Toppmeyer: Ohio State
Texas vs Ohio State: 3 keys to the game
Can Texas' defense contain Jeremiah Smith yet again?
In the previous two matchups, Texas did a great job of containing Smith and keeping the Buckeyes' star wide receiver rather quiet. Smith has just seven receptions for 46 yards in those two games, with the outlier being the one catch for three yards in the 2024-25 CFP semifinals.
It remains to be seen how the Longhorns' scheme against Smith will fare this time around under new defensive coordinator Will Muschamp. But one thing is for certain: the Longhorns will need to keep an eye on Smith at all times.
"Not every game do you go into it where you say, 'Hey, we need to know where this guy is on every snap.' We better know where No. 4 is on every snap," Sarkisian said earlier this week.
How will Arch Manning look in Round 2 against Ohio State?
Manning struggled in last year's meeting in Columbus, completing 17 of 30 passes for 170 yards with no touchdowns and no interceptions. He'll have his shot at avenging that loss — which kicked off a slow start to his first full season as the Longhorns' starting quarterback — on Saturday against an Ohio State defense that saw several key contributors depart for the NFL.
Can Texas' offensive line protect against the Buckeyes' pass rush? Can Manning get out of the pocket and scramble if needed? If so, Manning should have no shortage of playmakers at his disposal. The Longhorns bolstered their receiving corps through the transfer portal with additions such as Coleman and Hollywood Smothers, while Ryan Wingo remains one of the most dynamic weapons in the offense. Together, they give Manning the firepower needed to challenge Ohio State's secondary.
Ryan Day on challenge of facing Texas on road
"It certainly gives you some early feedback on where you are, and I think it's great for college football. This is going to be an unbelievable atmosphere down there against a great opponent. Everybody in the country will be watching, so, this is why you come to Ohio State. This is why you go to Texas, to play in games like this. (The) good thing is it'll give us a great data point on where we are and early feedback on things. But more importantly, the experience of playing in a game like this early in the season is, again, one of the reasons why you recruit great players to come here. These are the types of games and this is why we're here."
Texas football schedule 2026
Below is a look at Texas' schedule, including available start times and TV channel information:
- Sept. 5: Texas 59, Texas State 7
- Sept. 12: vs Ohio State, 7:30 p.m. ET (ABC)
- Sept. 19: vs. UTSA, 8 p.m. ET (SECN+)
- Sept. 26: at Tennessee, Noon ET (ABC or ESPN) *
- Oct. 3: OFF *
- Oct. 10: vs. Oklahoma, 3:30 p.m. ET (ABC or ESPN) *
- Oct. 17: vs. Florida *
- Oct. 24: vs. Ole Miss *
- Oct. 31: vs. Mississippi State *
- Nov. 7: at Missouri *
- Nov. 14: at LSU *
- Nov. 21: vs. Arkansas *
- Nov. 27: at Texas A&M, 7:30 p.m. ET (ABC)
* Denotes SEC game
Ohio State football schedule 2026
Below is a look at Ohio State's schedule, including available start times and TV channel information:
- Sept. 3: Ohio State 56, Ball State 3
- Sept. 12: at Texas, 7:30 p.m. ET (ABC)
- Sept. 19: vs. Kent State, Noon ET (FOX)
- Sept. 26: vs Illinois *
- Oct. 3: at Iowa *
- Oct. 10: vs. Maryland *
- Oct. 17: at Indiana *
- Oct. 24: BYE
- Oct. 31: at Southern California *
- Nov. 7: vs. Oregon *
- Nov. 14: vs. Northwestern *
- Nov. 21: at Nebraska *
- Nov. 28: vs Michigan *
* Denotes Big Ten game
Be sure to check out USA TODAY Sports' new College Football Unfiltered podcast, hosted by USA TODAY Sports columnist Blake Toppmeyer. You can stream on YouTube or download via Apple podcasts and Spotify.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What channel is Texas vs Ohio State on today? Time, TV schedule to watch Week 2 game
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