TEXAS WEEK / Ohio State Buckeyes LIVE 386

Ohio State Buckeyes LIVE 386 — Texas Week Voice of College Football | Mark Rogers with Steve Helwagen (Bucknuts 247) and Chip Brown (Horns 247) Tuesday preview of No. 1 Ohio State at Texas, Saturday night in Austin. Show open (0:00–1:25) Football is finally back — and this weekend is a massive step up. Texas vs. Ohio State in Austin is framed as the biggest non-conference game of the year and potentially one of the biggest ever for both programs. Chip Brown joins from Horns247; Steve Helwagen from Bucknuts. Arch Manning’s growth (1:25–3:50) Chip: Last year’s Columbus game was Arch “working through his own head.” First pass bounced three feet in front of the receiver; the game speed felt like a tilt-a-whirl. He took more lumps at Florida, then improved down the stretch. Against Texas State he picked up where he left off — more comfortable, vocal leader, trash-talker (per Colin Simmons). Texas went all-in via the portal (Cam Coleman, Hollywood Smothers, Relique Brown, O-linemen) because this could be the last year for Arch, Coleman, and Simmons. This is his stage. Mirror-image programs and portal churn (3:50–6:20) Steve: Both rosters are heavily rebuilt. Texas has ~9 new starters via the portal; Ohio State has 5–6. Successful programs now treat the portal as annual roster construction, not a last resort. Ohio State examples: Earl Little, Christian Aliegro, Devin McCune (UTSA transfer now starting). Texas hit “home run after home run.” Chip notes four Texas players on the AP preseason All-American first team: Cam Coleman, Trevor Goosby, Rasheem Biles, Colin Simmons. Steve’s take: This may be the most talented of the three Texas teams Ohio State has faced. Heat and depth (6:20–9:00) Kickoff ~6:30 p.m., expected 97 degrees. Texas State game (2:30 p.m. Friday) was brutal — Sark said 160 degrees on the field with rubber pellets. Fans “dropping like flies.” Cooling vests abandoned as too bulky. Texas played 50+ in the first half, 60+ for the game. Ohio State also emptied the bench once up 28-3 then 42-3 (Jeremiah Smith done at half; Julian Sayin two series in the third). Travel roster size for a non-Big Ten game is an open question (Big Ten games typically ~70-75). Clock controversy tangent (9:00–12:00) Brief discussion of last week’s Western Michigan/Michigan clock/optics issue. Steve timed the play at 8.4 seconds with 9 on the clock at snap; believes the call was technically correct but optics were terrible. No full explanation from Big Ten or NBC yet. What changed for Texas in camp / Week 1 (12:00–16:00) Chip’s biggest takeaways: Arch is more comfortable and owns the team. Interior run game still a concern (12 carries of 0-2 yards vs. Texas State; Relique Brown 11-for-34 despite two long TDs). Pass protection looks solid; receiver room upgraded. Cam Coleman’s arrival makes Ryan Wingo one of the best No. 2s in the country. Wingo caught his first 7 targets (short and deep, including a 45-yarder) after dropping 7 balls last year. Offense averaged ~35 ppg Sark’s first four years, dropped to 30.5 last year. Without two late 200-yard rushing games they were on pace for worst rushing season since 1944. Sark is 0-2 vs. Ohio State, 0-3 vs. Georgia. This is his best roster and a defining game on his Texas timeline. Defense and Will Muschamp (16:00–19:00) Pete Kwiatkowski out after three years of ~18 ppg allowed. Muschamp was Sark’s original target years ago. Aggressive, pressure-oriented (not necessarily heavy blitz), man coverage even under zone. Texas State game showed almost no pressure — they were holding cards. Raheem Biles (Pitt transfer) is “slippery,” punched out a fumble that Grayson Littleton returned 59 yards for a TD. Chip still rips the 2024 prevent-screen TD to TreVeyon Henderson as one of the dumbest plays he’s seen given the personnel. Texas secondary (19:00–23:30) FS Jelani McDonald: “quarterback of the secondary,” 6-2, 200, physical, instinctive, high-school teammate of Kobe Black. SS Kobe Black: former corner, played through injuries last year (got torched vs. Florida), now healthy and on a mission. CB Beau Masco (Rutgers): tough, undersized; Texas State attacked him with some success. CB Cade Phillips: 6-1 sophomore with elite length and speed; PI early, nearly INT in the end zone later. Nickel Grayson Littleton: held his own vs. Jeremiah Smith as a freshman in 2024; scoop-and-score last week. Muschamp wasn’t sure about his size until camp production. Expect zone pressure (four rushers from unexpected spots) more than all-out blitzes. Goal is to keep Julian Sayin from getting the ball to the second level. Colin Simmons (23:30–25:00) Led SEC with 12 sacks last year but ha