College football has once again returned to the virtual world in EA Sports College Football 26, allowing fans of all 134 FBS schools to take control of their favorite team. For Buckeye Nation, that means getting to dominate with one of the best rosters in the game.
The game also allows us to get a glimpse at what the season could look like, at least if the computers had their say. Each week, Land-Grant Holy Land will simulate Ohio State’s real-life matchup to see what our AI overlords think will happen.
Here are the results of our Week 1 sim:
Ohio State 36 – Texas 33 (OT)
We ran these simulations for every game of the regular season last year, and unless I’m forgetting one, I believe this is the first time that any of them have gone to overtime.
Both teams started a bit slow out of the gate in this one, but with 4:12 left in the first quarter, Texas got on the board first with a big 46-yard touchdown pass from Arch Manning to DeAndre Moore Jr. Ohio State was quick to respond, and after a few chunk plays by Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate, Julian Sayin found James Peoples out of the backfield for a 13-yard touchdown to even things up at 7-7 with 2:09 to play in the frame.
The Longhorns followed with a quick three-and-out and a terrible 16-yard punt. The Buckeyes capitalized quickly on the special teams blunder, as Tate’s 30-yard touchdown catch on the final play of the quarter gave the home team a 14-7 lead.
The two sides traded field goals midway through the second quarter, but with 2:46 until the half, Manning and Moore Jr. again connected for an explosive play, this time a 45-yard touchdown to make it all even at 17-17 heading into halftime.
Ohio State opened up the second half with a long 48-yard field goal by Jayden Fielding to regain the lead. Later in the third quarter, however, Texas managed to earn a safety. On the ensuing possession, Ryan Wing scored from 21 yards out, and a successful two-point conversion gave the Longhorns their first lead of the game, 27-20 with 3:08 left in the third quarter.
Neither team would score again until the 7:16 mark of the fourth quarter, where Bo Jackson’s 1-yard touchdown run again knotted it up. Fielding added another field goal with 5:18 left to play, but Texas matched it in the final three minutes as the game went into overtime at 30-30.
Following a pair of incompletions by Manning, Texas was forced to kick a 38-yard field goal. Mason Shipley knocked it through, but it gave Ohio State a chance to win the game if they could get into the end zone.
After a pair of receptions by Tate and Max Klare got the ball down to the 6-yard line, Sayin found Brandon Inniss in the corner of the end zone for a game-winning touchdown as the Buckeyes emerged victorious, 36-33, in a Week 1 thriller.
Key Contributors
Ohio State (Offense)
- Julian Sayin: 25-of-41 passing, 277 yards, 3 TD
- James Peoples: 94 yards rushing, 7.8 yards per carry / 4 receptions, 32 yards, TD
- Jeremiah Smith: 7 receptions, 91 yards
- Carnell Tate: 4 receptions, 61 yards, TD
- Brandon Inniss: 4 receptions, 44 yards, TD
Ohio State (Defense)
- Sonny Styles: 7 tackles, 1 TFL, 3 PBU
- Eddrick Houston: 2 TFL, 1 sack
- Caleb Downs: 5 tackles, 1 TFL, 2 PBU
- Malik Hartford: 1 forced fumble
- Beau Atkinson: 5 tackles, 2 TFL
- Kenyatta Jackson Jr: 4 tackles, 2 TFL
Texas (Offense)
- Arch Manning: 20-of-43 passing, 358 yards, 3 TD
- DeAndre Moore Jr.: 5 receptions, 156 yards, 2 TD
- Ryan Wingo: 7 receptions, 88 yards, TD
Texas (Defense)
- Anthony Hill Jr.: 9 tackles, 2 PBU, FF
- Jaylon Guilbeau: 9 tackles, 1 PBU
- Maraad Watson: 3 TFL, 2 sacks
- Ethan Burke: 3 TFL, 1.5 sacks
- Malik Muhammad: 6 tackles, 1 PBU
Check back next week to see how Ohio State actually performed on the field compared to the simulation, and see how they fare in our Week 2 simulation against Grambling State.
