On Off-Script Ohio, brought to you by Land-Grant Holy Land, Cole VanWiechen and Joey Gertz return for episode three, breaking down Ohio State’s 14-7 win over top-ranked Texas and taking a look at the biggest storylines across the Big Ten.
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On this week’s episode of Off-Script Ohio, Cole and Joey dive into Ohio State’s statement win against Texas. The Buckeyes leaned on their defense and timely execution in Austin, holding
Arch Manning and the Longhorns to just seven points in front of a raucous crowd.
For Joey, the best performers were offensive linemen Austin Sievereld and Phillip Daniels, who shut down Texas’ edge rushers, and linebacker Arvell Reese, who was all over the field defensively. Cole highlighted the offensive line as a whole for keeping Julian Sayin upright, while also praising the defensive backs for locking down Manning’s receiving options.
The game was defined by several intriguing matchups. Jeremiah Smith was bracketed all night by the Texas secondary, limited to six short receptions for 43 yards, with most of his work coming on screens and underneath routes. Ohio State wisely avoided forcing the ball his way.
On the line, much-hyped pass rusher Colin Simmons was completely neutralized by the Buckeye tackles, as Texas failed to register a single sack. Freshman quarterback Julian Sayin also impressed with his poise against defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski’s looks, avoiding costly mistakes in his first marquee start.
Meanwhile, the linebacker duo of Reese and Sonny Styles bottled up Texas’ running backs, never allowing the ground game to gain momentum.
Position battles also took center stage. Freshman cornerback Devin Sanchez saw the field as outside CB3, jumping ahead of Aaron Scott and Bryce West on the depth chart. At linebacker, Payton Pierce rotated in behind Styles and Reese, while in the backfield CJ Donaldson earned the majority of carries, outpacing James Peoples.
Along the defensive line, Larry Johnson kept his usual rotation going, while Onianwa also rotated in at right guard offensively.
Beyond the Buckeyes, Cole and Joey also took a spin around the Big Ten. Illinois dominated Western Illinois behind Luke Altmeyer’s three-touchdown day, while Penn State rolled past Nevada as Drew Allar went 22-for-26 in an efficient showing.
Oregon handled Montana State behind Dante Moore’s three scores, while Michigan took care of New Mexico with freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood looking sharp in his debut. Indiana barely scraped past Old Dominion in an ugly outing, and UCLA looked dreadful, with Nico Iamaleava struggling badly in a lopsided loss.
Recorded Sundays and released Mondays, Off-Script Ohio brings analysis, bold calls, and fresh perspectives on Ohio State football and the wider college landscape.
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