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2025 game Week 1, #1 Texas @ #3 Ohio State - What the Fuck is a Buckeye?


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Posted
47 minutes ago, Professor Chesney said:

Do these writers know something we don’t about the quality of the offensive line? It’s so hard to tell if local beat writers are making good observations vs blinded by homerism and constant success.

Your expensive transfer tackle from Rice that was supposed to start at LT but might lose the RT competition somehow “isn’t a concern” and you’ll have the best OL ever? If that happened here this board would be shitting itself (more than usual) and ready to cancel the season. 

The guy that beat him out at LT was an OL starter last year and was pretty good.  The unit in general was solid all last year and the only new face on the line is at RT, so it doesn't seem like reason to panic to me.  "Best OL evar" is probably a stretch though.

Posted

Early Keys to the Game | Texas vs. Ohio State (Tuesday AM) - Vogel

Spoiler

Early Keys to the Game | Texas vs. Ohio State (Tuesday AM)

 

CJ Vogel

By CJ Vogel

  • 3 hours ago
 

What to Expect Early in Texas vs. Ohio State This Weekend

There has only been a seven month build-up to this weekend's game from the Texas perspective. That's it. 

For all seven months of the offseason, the focus has been getting back in shape, retooling and preparing to avenge the loss in Dallas that ended the season for the 2024 Texas Longhorns and ultimately landed Ohio State a National Championship.

Before getting into how both teams will come out of the gate, I wanted to look back at the 2025 Cotton Bowl which also featured a relatively slow opening.

***

2025 Cotton Bowl

Total Plays + Yards

  • Texas: 13 plays for 66 yards (5.07 yards per play)
  • Ohio State: 18 plays for 107 yards (5.94 yards per play)

Ohio State led 7–0 after the first quarter and thanks to a personal foul on TreVeyon Henderson, the Buckeyes were backed out of field goal range and set to punt back to Texas to begin the 2nd quarter.

Quinn Ewers was sacked twice and the Longhorns committed a false start on the offensive line in the opening quarter. 

On the bright side, Texas also had passing plays of 24, 22 and 15, however, that accounts for 61 of the 66 yards gained in the first quarter a year ago. There quite simply must be more consistency.

Flipping over to the defense, Ohio State was able to dink and dunk with five passing plays gaining 9-15 yards a pop. The Buckeyes essentially ended their own drive thanks to the 15-yard penalty by Henderson.

***

Previewing the 1st Quarter of the 2025 Season Opener

I am operating my pregame analysis and preparations as though Texas will be without WR Emmett Mosley V for this game. When will the Longhorns see him on the field, I don't know.

But to the point, there are a few themes that need to be established in this first quarter by both sides of the ball for the Longhorns.

Offense

Stretch the field.

Take a deep shot early. Do not allow Ohio State to cheat on the back end with Jaylen McClain and Caleb Downs. Should Texas connect early on a deep ball, that in turn keeps the box lighter allowing the Longhorns to do something they were unable to do in all three losses a year ago – run the football.

We hear Steve Sarkisian speak on complementary football often referring to the offense helping the defense and vice versa. Though too often a year ago that complementary aspect was lacking on the offensive side of the ball with the run and pass game working cohesively.

The Longhorns have adjusted their wide receiver recruitment to fit the strengths of Arch Manning and his vertical throwing ability. Push the ball down the field very early this contest and allow yourself room to breathe up front. 

On passes >10 yards last January vs. Ohio State, Texas completed just 5/15 passes.

 

Defense

Sell Out to Stop Jeremiah Smith + Exotic Pressures

This feels rather simple to me and I am eagerly awaiting how it is proven foolish as a result.

Off the rip, I am bringing pressure if I am Texas. Unleash those elite pass rushers and make life difficult for Julian Sayin from the get-go. The defense caused plenty of identification issues against an offense that faced the same unit every day for four weeks in the spring. Now imagine a first-time starting quarterback and center who received the lowest pass-blocking grade against Texas by PFF now having identify and communicate ahead of every single snap.

That is a lot of pressure. 

I would expect Ohio State to counter with screens to the running backs or missiles/jail breaks to its elite wide receiving unit to get the ball out quickly and negate the threat of Texas bringing heat outside of its typical four pass rushers. This obviously bit Texas with the screen right before halftime.

And finally... sell out to stop Jeremiah Smith.

Ohio State is without TreVeyon Henderson, Quinshon Judkins, and Emeka Egbuka from a year ago. No, they won't be lacking for talent, but it does put more pressure on Jeremiah Smith to perform well considering there is less to lean on.

Make anyone else on the field beat you. Again, while there is talent on the field, that talent is not the best player in college football. If the offensive output for Ohio State mirrors that of the Cotton Bowl this weekend, Texas will win running away.

Carnell Tate is a great player. Texas sees five Carnell Tate's a year. There is only one Jeremiah Smith and the focus must be on preventing him from going GameBreaker mode and single-handedly winning this football game for the Buckeyes.

 

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Posted

As many as 30 defensive players will play in first half vs. Ohio State (Tues. 7:35am CST) - Gerry

Spoiler

As many as 30 defensive players will play in first half vs. Ohio State (Tues. 7:35am CST)

 

Gerry Hamilton

By Gerry Hamilton

  • 6 hours ago
 

As many as 30 defensive players will play in first half vs. Ohio State

When Steve Sarkisian said in a media availability last week that as many as 30 defensive players could play in the first half of the game vs. Ohio State, that came as a surprise to many (including me). 

So naturally, the mind starts working on the who those 30 could be. 

OTF is taking a look at who those 30 could be to start your Tuesday. 

Projected starters (11) ...
JACK:
Ethan Burke (Sr.)
NT: Cole Brevard (RS-Sr.)
DT: Alex January (Soph.)
BUCK: Colin Simmons (Soph.)
MLB: Anthony Hill Jr. (Jr.)
WLB: Liona Lefau (Jr.)
S: Derek Williams (Jr.)
S: Jelani McDonald (Jr.) 
N/S: Michael Taaffe (RS-Sr.)
CB: Malik Muhammad (Jr.) 
CB: Jaylon Guilbeau (Sr.) 

Likely to play starter snaps or plenty of snaps (5) ...
DT:
Maraad Watson (Soph.) 
WLB/EDGE: Trey Moore (Sr.)
BUCK/LB: Brad Spence (Jr.)
NT: Travis Shaw (Sr.)
MLB: Ty'Anthony Smith (Soph.) 

Key reserves (10) ...
JACK:
Colton Vasek (RS-Soph.)
BUCK: Zina Umeozulu (RS-Fr.) 
DT: Hero Kanu (RS-Jr.) 
DT: Lavon Johnson (Jr.)
CB: Kobe Black (Soph.)
CB: Warren Roberson (RS-Soph.)
S: Xavier Filsaime (Soph.) 
S: Jordon Johnson-Rubell (Soph.)
N: Graceson Littleton (Fr.)
N: Wardell Mack (Soph.) 

Where do the final four to make 30 come from? ...
There are six realistic possibilities to get to 30. 

MLB: Elijah Barnes (Fr.) 
CB: Kade Phillips (Fr.) 
CB: Santana Wilson (Rs.-Fr.)
JACK: Justus Terry (Fr.)
BUCK/JACK: Lance Jackson (Fr.) 
NT: Josiah Sharma (Fr.) 

 

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Posted
3 hours ago, Not a cat said:

All these Snake Plissken escape from the shoe stories remind me that we had a group of 4 dudes, all mid 30s and we were legitimately worried we were in real trouble. We grabbed a cab stopped at a red light who insisted he was heading for another fare, threw a Benji at him and told him to get us the hell out of there.

repped for the Snake Plissken reference

Posted

Tuesday - Narrative Shift & Necessary Evils - Bobby

Spoiler

uesday - Narrative Shift & Necessary Evils

 

Bobby Burton

By Bobby Burton

  • 6 hours ago
 

“I think we kind of shift the narrative,” Arch Manning said. “We’re going for everyone else. The target’s not on our back. The red dot is on everyone else.”

Arch’s comment to the media yesterday should give us all perspective on exactly how the Horns are internalizing being the no. 1 ranked team in the land headed to Columbus.

It’s a healthy view from Arch — equal parts aggression, confidence and smarts.

**

I also loved Steve Sarkisian’s advice he said he would be giving Arch this week:

”Just go be yourself,” Sark said he would tell Arch.

That’s a head coach instilling even more confidence in his young player.

Don’t try to be something you’re not, you don’t have to do that; yourself is what this team needs, nothing more and nothing less.

**

Sark said that Trevor Goosby is expected to play on Saturday. We reported last Friday that Goosby was likely to go.

The question will be how much and how effective he will be. Only time will tell in that regard.

Sark also finally publicly discussed the health/availability of wide receiver Emmett Mosley V.

As we’ve been reporting, Mosley has not been practicing, even though he is out there with the team every day.

**

In talking to someone over the weekend, it’s expected that recruiting for the class of 2026 will really pick back up next week.

Texas has already been evaluating very early senior film (including scrimmages) of some players.

**

I don’t like the idea of putting a sponsor on the Longhorn football field, no matter the sponsor or the amount of money.

But I also freely admit, I’m an old fuddy duddy in that regard.

College football seems to slowly lose its innocence more and more each year. Sometimes that seems like a bad thing. At others, it seems like it was a long time coming.

Why shouldn’t Texas make a lot of money for the field instead of ESPN, Fox, etc., putting graphics on the field during TV broadcasts?

Again, I don’t like it. But I’m not exactly beside myself either. I guess I see it more as a new necessary evil in the world of college athletics.

Hook’Em!

 

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Posted
58 minutes ago, Frank Drebin said:

They must. Because if you look at experience between Texas and Ohio State OL, it's almost equal # of starts and snaps.  If you look at the PFF ratings of those snaps from last season, Texas is way, way ahead of Ohio State and pretty much all of us are taking a wait and see approach.  Not to mention they have to play our front 7, which is better than theirs.

We can absolutely lose.  But if we play a relatively clean game and do not go worse than -1 in turnovers, we should win by 7 or more.

I don’t have a PFF sub but I’d be interested to see game-by-game grades. Their OL seemingly improved over the course of last season (some of which was scheme change) while ours did not. All the stats I’ve seen posted are full season grades. I think the postseason grades would be more informative. 

Even with that said, there’s still some missing links, as has been discussed in this thread. Improvement last year doesn’t necessitate the best OL ever this year. 

Posted
18 minutes ago, Borrominion said:

The guy that beat him out at LT was an OL starter last year and was pretty good.  The unit in general was solid all last year and the only new face on the line is at RT, so it doesn't seem like reason to panic to me.  "Best OL evar" is probably a stretch though.

You’ve probably already seen that we like our pass rush this year, so some of our skepticism about a guard kicking out to LT is whether they can handle pass rushers with elite speed and/or bend like Simmons, Hill, and Spence. 

Posted
1 minute ago, Bodacious Bevo said:

I don’t have a PFF sub but I’d be interested to see game-by-game grades. Their OL seemingly improved over the course of last season (some of which was scheme change) while ours did not. All the stats I’ve seen posted are full season grades. I think the postseason grades would be more informative. 

Even with that said, there’s still some missing links, as has been discussed in this thread. Improvement last year doesn’t necessitate the best OL ever this year. 

More than the player personnel (which I think will be solid) I'm worried about the position coaching.  OSU lost both its OL coach and the OC, who have been buds from UCLA days, so it's not unreasonable to expect some discombobulation while the unit works through new schemes under new leadership.

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Posted
2 minutes ago, Borrominion said:

More than the player personnel (which I think will be solid) I'm worried about the position coaching.  OSU lost both its OL coach and the OC, who have been buds from UCLA days, so it's not unreasonable to expect some discombobulation while the unit works through new schemes under new leadership.

this is a worry on both sides. Its not unlikely that both OLs will lack cohesion to start this game. The OL that starts to figure things out first may decide the game. 

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Posted
2 minutes ago, Borrominion said:

More than the player personnel (which I think will be solid) I'm worried about the position coaching.  OSU lost both its OL coach and the OC, who have been buds from UCLA days, so it's not unreasonable to expect some discombobulation while the unit works through new schemes under new leadership.

Agree and that’s where I think people are underestimating the offseason losses. Breaking in a new coordinator, let alone on both sides, is a tall order. We saw it with Michigan last year. I don’t expect a mud hole like we stomped in Michigan (though that would be lovely), but I think this will be a big hurdle for OSU to overcome in game 1.  

Posted
3 minutes ago, Codaxx said:

this is a worry on both sides. Its not unlikely that both OLs will lack cohesion to start this game. The OL that starts to figure things out first may decide the game. 

Our OL has spent more time together under the same scheme and coordinator, both OL and OC

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Posted
5 minutes ago, Js1 said:

Our OL has spent more time together under the same scheme and coordinator, both OL and OC

Have they done any team-building exercises, like a ropes course or escape room?

  • Haha 6
Posted
3 minutes ago, Codaxx said:

this is a worry on both sides. Its not unlikely that both OLs will lack cohesion to start this game. The OL that starts to figure things out first may decide the game. 

In that video you posted earlier Scipio says their interior OL is the same Ohio State finished the season with. They performed well against several good DLs, so they have that going for them. Main question is how they do at tackle against our edges and whether they can run inside on our deep interior DL.

Posted
1 minute ago, South Austin said:

Have they done any team-building exercises, like a ropes course or escape room?

I heard they had matching shirts and did a scavenger hunt around campus. 

  • Haha 2
Posted
6 minutes ago, Js1 said:

Our OL has spent more time together under the same scheme and coordinator, both OL and OC

Not sure it is a big gap. This Ryan Day's offense. I would bet on Ryan Day calling some plays in this game. 

Posted (edited)

everything I read from the osu side says their OL is even better than last years.....then I read that they have shuffled the O Line yet again...

 

 

What I have gained from his is to never trust a prediction made by anyone named Kirk, or Kirt, ......

 

I have also decided that OSU Koolaide must be fentanal laced....

Edited by oldhorn2
Posted
1 minute ago, sith_horn said:

In that video you posted earlier Scipio says their interior OL is the same Ohio State finished the season with. They performed well against several good DLs, so they have that going for them. Main question is how they do at tackle against our edges and whether they can run inside on our deep interior DL.

That is not 100% accurate. Austin Siereveld played guard in the game vs Texas. He is bumping out  to LT (Donovan Jackson played there)

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Posted

Not that this is really surprising at all but hearing Sam acho pick John Mateer as his most exciting qb to watch this year, ok, you have a job. But then hearing that LSU/clemson was the game he was most excited to watch this weekend… someone take that longhorn helmet behind him. Please! 

Posted
23 minutes ago, Bodacious Bevo said:

I don’t have a PFF sub but I’d be interested to see game-by-game grades. Their OL seemingly improved over the course of last season (some of which was scheme change) while ours did not. All the stats I’ve seen posted are full season grades. I think the postseason grades would be more informative. 

Even with that said, there’s still some missing links, as has been discussed in this thread. Improvement last year doesn’t necessitate the best OL ever this year. 

Their OL got worse over the course of the season because it got injured over the course of the season, and probably bottomed out against Michigan. They got good enough for the playoffs though, in large part due to Donovan Jackson holding up at left tackle 

Posted
1 minute ago, sith_horn said:

In that video you posted earlier Scipio says their interior OL is the same Ohio State finished the season with. They performed well against several good DLs, so they have that going for them. Main question is how they do at tackle against our edges and whether they can run inside on our deep interior DL.

I expect that Ohio State's offensive game plan may look eerily similar to Texas' for different reasons. Both will likely do a fair amount of 21 personnel in this game. tOSU will do it because they need to give help to their tackles against the pass rush and to try and tire out Simmons and Burke in the run game, which gives Sayin some breathing room. I expect Texas to do it to let Arch play with his back to the line of scrimmage in play action, and to allow some help with our younger tackles to let plays develop downfield.  

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Posted (edited)
5 minutes ago, Fud said:

Their OL got worse over the course of the season because it got injured over the course of the season, and probably bottomed out against Michigan. They got good enough for the playoffs though, in large part due to Donovan Jackson holding up at left tackle 

Wrong guy but still, he was on the line lol 

Edited by RockyMountainHighHorn
Posted
1 minute ago, RockyMountainHighHorn said:

Not that this is really surprising at all but hearing Sam acho pick John Mateer as his most exciting qb to watch this year, ok, you have a job. But then hearing that LSU/clemson was the game he was most excited to watch this weekend… someone take that longhorn helmet behind him. Please! 

Just another asshole in a long line of assholes that want to gain notoriety by being the Texas "fan" who is anti-Texas. 

Posted
1 minute ago, RockyMountainHighHorn said:

Not that this is really surprising at all but hearing Sam acho pick John Mateer as his most exciting qb to watch this year, ok, you have a job. But then hearing that LSU/clemson was the game he was most excited to watch this weekend… someone take that longhorn helmet behind him. Please! 

His brother's dumbassery is rubbing off on him. 

Posted
1 minute ago, RockyMountainHighHorn said:

Jackson is going to be a big loss. Chiefs have been raving about him from the start. 

Odd that they'd rave about someone starting for the Vikings, but whatever floats their boat 

  • Haha 1
Posted
1 minute ago, Fud said:

Their OL got worse over the course of the season because it got injured over the course of the season, and probably bottomed out against Michigan. They got good enough for the playoffs though, in large part due to Donovan Jackson holding up at left tackle 

Pretty much.  They were cruising during/after the PSU game until [eventual Remington winner] McLaughlin went out for the season.  The quick breather before the CFP gave them time to right the ship.

Posted
7 minutes ago, Vertigo said:

I expect that Ohio State's offensive game plan may look eerily similar to Texas' for different reasons. Both will likely do a fair amount of 21 personnel in this game. tOSU will do it because they need to give help to their tackles against the pass rush and to try and tire out Simmons and Burke in the run game, which gives Sayin some breathing room. I expect Texas to do it to let Arch play with his back to the line of scrimmage in play action, and to allow some help with our younger tackles to let plays develop downfield.  

It will be interesting to see if that happens. On our side, I wonder what Niblett can do out of it if Sark uses him in 21. As for the Buckeyes doing it, it might help to provide extra protection, but we are deep enough at EDGE, that I don't see fatigue being an issue for Simmons and Burke.

Posted
52 minutes ago, MuellerHorn said:

Early Keys to the Game | Texas vs. Ohio State (Tuesday AM) - Vogel

  Hide contents

 

Quinn Ewers was sacked twice and the Longhorns committed a false start on the offensive line in the opening quarter. 

 

 

Family Guy Reaction GIF

Posted

Jackson swung to LT after Simmons got hurt and was excellent.  By far their best OL after the Simmons and McLaughlin injuries. 

Buckeye media and 9.95ers are Indistinguishable from their Sooner counterparts.  Programs are eerily similar except Ohio State has more money and no instate rival. 

Posted
1 hour ago, Professor Chesney said:

Do these writers know something we don’t about the quality of the offensive line? It’s so hard to tell if local beat writers are making good observations vs blinded by homerism and constant success.

Your expensive transfer tackle from Rice that was supposed to start at LT but might lose the RT competition somehow “isn’t a concern” and you’ll have the best OL ever? If that happened here this board would be shitting itself (more than usual) and ready to cancel the season. 

IMO,

Their OL probably looked decent this spring and summer, when they were blocking the one good DT that was available. The OL blocking against a bunch of younger DL that was supplemented with mid-level transfers is not the same as going against a more elite and experienced DL. 

Posted

Their playoff OL was helped last year by the best running back room in the country and a QB that could run 

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Posted
36 minutes ago, South Austin said:

Have they done any team-building exercises, like a ropes course or escape room?

I think the O-line team building exercise for this weekend should be a 3 hour PANCAKE brunch, starting at about noon EDT.

Posted
17 minutes ago, sith_horn said:

It will be interesting to see if that happens. On our side, I wonder what Niblett can do out of it if Sark uses him in 21. As for the Buckeyes doing it, it might help to provide extra protection, but we are deep enough at EDGE, that I don't see fatigue being an issue for Simmons and Burke.

Sorry, meant to type 12 & 21 personnel.. 

Posted
CJ Vogel:
 
On Monday, Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian was pretty blunt with his assertion that he expects LT Trevor Goosby back on the field for the Ohio State game on Saturday.
Goosby was a full-participant Tuesday morning as the Longhorns continued their game prep for Ohio State.
Texas continues to rotate some bodies around on the offensive line to create the optimal five, but things are trending positively for Goosby to be as close to full-strength as possible come kickoff in Columbus.

giphy.gif
Posted
14 minutes ago, Wayne said:

CJ Vogel:

 

On Monday, Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian was pretty blunt with his assertion that he expects LT Trevor Goosby back on the field for the Ohio State game on Saturday.

Goosby was a full-participant Tuesday morning as the Longhorns continued their game prep for Ohio State.

Texas continues to rotate some bodies around on the offensive line to create the optimal five, but things are trending positively for Goosby to be as close to full-strength as possible come kickoff in Columbus.

Someone paid to write about this stuff told me recently that Umeozulu might be too much of a loose cannon to merit risking Manning's health over and that Hutson is fine in pass pro at Guard. They like Robertson fine and maybe better than Hutson at Center. I assume the reference to "optimal five" involves those two considerations. I still expect Goosby-Neto-Hutson-Campbell-Baker but I am not willing to bet on it.

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Posted
32 minutes ago, Wayne said:

CJ Vogel:

 

On Monday, Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian was pretty blunt with his assertion that he expects LT Trevor Goosby back on the field for the Ohio State game on Saturday.

Goosby was a full-participant Tuesday morning as the Longhorns continued their game prep for Ohio State.

Texas continues to rotate some bodies around on the offensive line to create the optimal five, but things are trending positively for Goosby to be as close to full-strength as possible come kickoff in Columbus.

Nick Jonas Wow GIF by Jonas Brothers

Posted
40 minutes ago, Vertigo said:

Sorry, meant to type 12 & 21 personnel.. 

I figured. Neither team has good enough backs to justify 21 personnel except on a gadget play. Judkins did blow up Guilbeau blocking for Henderson in a 21 personnel play in the Cotton Bowl though. 

I expect Ohio State to run a lot more 12 personnel in this game. The reason they didn't run 12 personnel much in the Cotton Bowl was because their tight ends were dogwater. Taking Emeka Egbuka or Carnell Tate off the field and replacing them with Gee Scott was never worth forcing Texas to bring an extra defender in the box. This is the #1 area where Max Klare will change the gameplans between both teams. Ohio State will be able to sit in run formations while still keeping three elite pass catchers on the field with Smith, Tate, and Klare. 

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Posted (edited)
14 minutes ago, Tribe171 said:

I figured. Neither team has good enough backs to justify 21 personnel except on a gadget play. Judkins did blow up Guilbeau blocking for Henderson in a 21 personnel play in the Cotton Bowl though. 

I expect Ohio State to run a lot more 12 personnel in this game. The reason they didn't run 12 personnel much in the Cotton Bowl was because their tight ends were dogwater. Taking Emeka Egbuka or Carnell Tate off the field and replacing them with Gee Scott was never worth forcing Texas to bring an extra defender in the box. This is the #1 area where Max Klare will change the gameplans between both teams. Ohio State will be able to sit in run formations while still keeping three elite pass catchers on the field with Smith, Tate, and Klare. 

I agree. First thing Day has to do on offense is protect his QB. On his roster his WR room is loaded and his TE room is very good. 12 personnel seems to be the best way to do it as he can use them to block for extra protection, can chip the ends, and they can be used in the short game. Might even go 13 and try to run it at times.

I just don't see him having Sayin drop back much and try to decipher the coverage, unless we kick their ass early and it's their only chance to get back in the game. I'm expecting a very conservative plan and call on offense for OSU. 

TyAnthony Smith is a name that hasn't been spoken much this camp, but he could be crucial to our defense on Saturday. 

Edited by Hermanator
Posted (edited)
3 hours ago, Park Gothic said:

Yes. True. The vast majority of us are both sane and positive, with only a few outliers. 

a7dae07596c2bdccfb46b2fefdda49ae.gif

Exactly!!! We normal, rational, only 10 fucking, 1%ers here on Surly need wackos, doom and gloomers and sunshine pumper to offset our calm, collected thoughts.

Edited by BurntEyes
Posted
36 minutes ago, Hermanator said:

I agree. First thing Day has to do on offense is protect his QB. On his roster his WR room is loaded and his TE room is very good. 12 personnel seems to be the best way to do it as he can use them to block for extra protection, can chip the ends, and they can be used in the short game. Might even go 13 and try to run it at times.

I just don't see him having Sayin drop back much and try to decipher the coverage, unless we kick their ass early and it's their only chance to get back in the game. I'm expecting a very conservative plan and call on offense for OSU. 

TyAnthony Smith is a name that hasn't been spoken much this camp, but he could be crucial to our defense on Saturday. 

I don't think Day will be conservative with Sayin. Winning the CFP despite losing to Michigan and having 2 losses has purged him of the Urban Meyer mindset that the regular season is about perfection. I don't think he is going to try to finesse a win against Texas. It sounds like Ohio State, with all the extra preparation time, is treating this matchup like a CFP game and Day has always had very aggressive gameplans for CFP matchups. 

I expect Ohio State will lean on the run game from a statistical perspective. They will only have more pass attempts than rush attempts if they have to play catchup, as you said. But when they do pass they will be aggressive in attacking down field. That's further buttressed by Hartline being the playcaller. All OC's have a prejudice toward run or pass based off their origins. And if the game is on the line, there is no way Hartline isn't leaning on his guys.

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