For me Muschamp just has to copy what PK did and add his own flair.

The  biggest thing for me with this game is Sark. Can he finally do something offensively against Ohio State besides 14 and 7 points? They aren't as good defensively as they have been the last two years, so that is also a factor. 

If Sark can't get it done this year, it shows that he likely never can get over that hump, imo. 

Losing both A. Makuba and J. Barron were huge losses, they were "dawgs".   PK's defense never recovered after losing them both  to the NFL., irreplaceable IMO,  I thought it was evident last year against OSU. The year before that Texas had the Georgia Bulldogs beat until they knocked Beck(?) out of the game. Sure we lost other players but the way Taffe , Makuba and Barron  played, they way they communicated was  a sight to behold.  I  called them the Bermuda Triangle. 

Monday , at the end of "lunch with the coach", Coach Ewing was adamant  about mindset  and I doI believe Muschamp has this covered in a way PK was unable to.   The "nastiness", the "dawg" ,mentality, the "playing with gravel in their guts and spit in their eyes".  Mindset !

Beware  Hype!! It's rat poison!! And I am very much anti-hype.

🤘

Edited September 11Sep 11 by Pugsly

25 minutes ago, Pugsly said:

Losing both A. Makuba and J. Barron were huge losses, they were "dawgs".   PK's defense never recovered after losing them both  to the NFL., irreplaceable IMO,  I thought it was evident last year against OSU. The year before that Texas had the Georgia Bulldogs beat until they knocked Beck(?) out of the game. Sure we lost other players but the way Taffe , Makuba and Barron  played, they way they communicated was  a sight to behold.  I  called them the Bermuda Triangle. 

Monday , at the end of "lunch with the coach", Coach Ewing was adamant  about mindset  and I doI believe Muschamp has this covered in a way PK was unable to.   The "nastiness", the "dawg" ,mentality, the "playing with gravel in their guts and spit in their eyes".  Mindset !

Beware  Hype!! It's rat poison!! And I am very much anti-hype.

🤘

PK held OSU to 14 points last year and 21 the game before. He had his issues but he wasn't the reason we lost against OSU either time, bad take. 

I am thinking 31-17 or 31-24. Smith will have 1 TD against us, but our defense will sack Sayin at least 3 times …

Not trying to jynx anything here but my honest take is Texas wins decidedly. 
 

what has improved this year:

Ohio state receivers: 

Lost Tate, were better last year 

OSU Rb:

better this year 

OSU OL:

undeniably worse 

 

now do that for Texas …

 

then ask which qb in last years game was further away from how they’ve performed recently 

 

Texas wins by 2 tds or more 

What does TOP do for this game?  Do we want to play old school control the clock, wear them out and move chains.  Or do we want a Ferrari to score quickly and force ohio state to put their foot on the gas as well?  
 

Behind Enemy Lines

https://www.elevenwarriors.com/ohio-state-football/2026/09/163776/comparing-ohio-state-vs-texas-at-every-position

1 hour ago, WRNC said:

Behind Enemy Lines

https://www.elevenwarriors.com/ohio-state-football/2026/09/163776/comparing-ohio-state-vs-texas-at-every-position

I don’t know if I agree with Sayin vs Manning. Sayin had more playmakers last year than Manning, and he didn’t really have to make plays. I buy a tie, but not Sayin over Manning.

 

the rest, I can buy their analysis.

Thank you for the analysis, good stuff.

One area where I would push back is the coaching favorite.  If Texas rolls OSU like I expect (34-17) and the offensive play calling is a couple of ticks above recent Texas game history, the question will become: how much time WAS Sark having to spend with the defensive side of the ball?  My reading of the teas leaves is that he was more frustrated than was ever publicly conveyed.  I think the offensive side of the ball gets a much deeper and better engaged Sarkisian than we've known in some time.  And that will be a problem for the Buckeyes.  My two cents, if worth that.

Hook 'em

1 hour ago, Robbin Antono said:

I don’t know if I agree with Sayin vs Manning. Sayin had more playmakers last year than Manning, and he didn’t really have to make plays. I buy a tie, but not Sayin over Manning.

 

the rest, I can buy their analysis.

not sure i'd trade WR groups just to pick up smith.  in fairness, he's better than coleman and wingo, but there's only one of him, and while their other guys aren't scrubs, i think our group as a whole is better.

i'd take our TEs over theirs, as well.  the analysis was basically "we don't have any information, but...tOSU"

i think our TEs will be a factor in this game.

Woke up this morning still feeling like Texas needs to the into the 30s to win the game.

Need Sark to come out aggressive.

agree.  i still have some heartburn about the running game.  i'd feel better if we'd pushed texas state around more effectively.

8 hours ago, NCHorn said:

Thank you for the analysis, good stuff.

One area where I would push back is the coaching favorite.  If Texas rolls OSU like I expect (34-17) and the offensive play calling is a couple of ticks above recent Texas game history, the question will become: how much time WAS Sark having to spend with the defensive side of the ball?  My reading of the teas leaves is that he was more frustrated than was ever publicly conveyed.  I think the offensive side of the ball gets a much deeper and better engaged Sarkisian than we've known in some time.  And that will be a problem for the Buckeyes.  My two cents, if worth that.

Hook 'em

34-17.     Nice!

17 hours ago, AusMOJO said:

PK held OSU to 14 points last year and 21 the game before. He had his issues but he wasn't the reason we lost against OSU either time, bad take. 

Not only Jahdae Barron and Andrew Mukuba on defense, but also Alfred Collins , Vernon Broughton and Barron Sorrell, all by the end of the 4th round. I'm sure Ohio St. lost their share of starters to the NFL draft that year.  Texas was ranked 1st in the nation with the Heisman favorite.  With a younger defense and younger OL, and way too much hype, Texas was suppose to go to Columbus an beat OSU.  Texas played very well but could not get the job done, they just fell short, that's just how football go. Texas is a much better team this year than last year.  Not saying it was  PK's fault. I told Sark to keep him but he just wouldn't listen. 

Texas  34

OSU   17.      🤘

 

17 hours ago, Jeff Howe said:

Woke up this morning still feeling like Texas needs to the into the 30s to win the game.

Need Sark to come out aggressive.

I’m seeing 31-17 or 31-20