Nick Saban offers 2 key points of emphasis for Ohio State at Texas
By Ethan Stone
Published:
One of the most crucial matchups of the regular season is set to kick off in a little over 24 hours as the No. 1 Ohio State Buckeyes travel to Austin to battle Arch Manning and the Texas Longhorns.
Last year’s meeting between these titans didn’t turn out so well for Texas. The Longhorns failed to score until the final 5 minutes of the game in a defensive chess match that ultimately favored Ohio State, 14-7. This year, like in 2025, there’s some pretty massive College Football Playoff implications on the line for a Longhorns team (and Ohio State, mind you) that’s more talented than it’s been in decades.
On Friday, legendary former Alabama coach Nick Saban joined the Pat McAfee Show to discuss Saturday’s gargantuan matchup. He offered 2 key points of emphasis for both teams, insisting the team that protects the football and connects on the most explosive plays will win the ball game.
“I think there’s 2 great teams, obviously. I think there’s a lot of good players on both teams,” Saban said. “2 great quarterbacks on both teams, really good skill guys on both teams. It’s going to be to me about the teams that can not turn the ball over, and who can make the most explosive plays. I think Texas is a lot better than a year ago, I think Ohio State still has a really, really good team, but they have to prove that they really re-built their defense to be able to play well against a team the caliber of Texas.”
Hear it from Saban:
Ohio State at Texas is set to kick off tomorrow at 7:30 p.m. on ABC from DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin.
Ethan Stone is a Saturday Down South News Editor and an advocate for the return of the Seattle Supersonics.
