There is no easing into college football's Week 2 for Texas. The No. 5 Longhorns host No. 1 Ohio State on Saturday, September 12, at 7:30 p.m. ET on ABC, a rematch of last year's season opener that still lingers over the Texas locker room.

College football analyst Paul Finebaum thinks it should. On ESPN's "Get Up," the longtime SEC voice said quarterback Arch Manning has to deliver in a way he hasn't against the Buckeyes yet.

Finebaum says Arch Manning has to have a monster game

"I hate to come down on Arch, but he has to have a monster game because that game last year still shadows him a little bit," Finebaum said. "Steve Sarkisian told me a couple of months ago that that game probably helped Arch Manning more than any other game."

The game Finebaum referenced came last August, when Ohio State beat Texas 14-7 in Columbus. Manning completed 17 of 30 passes for 170 yards with one touchdown and a third-quarter interception that flipped field position and led directly to a Buckeyes touchdown. It was Manning's first game as Texas' full-time starter, and the loss cost the Longhorns their preseason No. 1 ranking.

"But whatever the point I was trying to make was before I took Dan's head off," Finebaum said. "Arch, if he doesn't shy (away), I think it's going to affect him. But most important, Texas has to win that game because that's going to be on Sarkisian."

Manning enters the rematch coming off a big Week 1 performance

Manning gave Finebaum something to point to before the Ohio State game even arrived. He threw for 305 yards and four touchdowns in a 59-7 win over Texas State to open the season, connecting twice with new transfer Cam Coleman and adding a score to Ryan Wingo. He left the game in the third quarter with Texas already leading 42-7.

That performance followed a full season in which Manning grew into the job. He finished 2025 with 3,163 passing yards, 26 touchdowns and seven interceptions, and he closed the year by earning MVP honors in a Citrus Bowl win over Michigan. Texas opened as a 2-point home favorite over Ohio State, according to Circa Sports, despite facing the reigning national champion and preseason No. 1 team in the country.

Heather Dinich says the offensive line and run game need to catch up

ESPN's Heather Dinich followed Finebaum on the same broadcast and offered a different read on what Texas needs. She said Manning played well against Ohio State last year, but the surrounding pieces have to improve.

"Well, I thought Arch was really good, but the offensive line and the running game have to be better for them to beat Ohio State," Dinich said. "And I also think people forget. We're talking about Arch, like he had a disaster last year. The final stretch, he was one of the best quarterbacks in the whole country. He's continuing to grow.

"But what makes Texas a national title contender? He's not even the best player on the team. Colin Simmons is. He's gonna be the first player drafted. Julian Sayin's not the best player on his team. Jeremiah Smith is. You have Heisman contenders everywhere. That's why these guys are national title contenders."

Texas managed just 111 yards rushing against Texas State, outside of a 45-yard opening run from Hollywood Smothers, a number that will need to climb against an Ohio State defense that has not allowed Texas to establish any consistent ground game in the last two meetings. Simmons, a junior edge rusher, recorded 12 sacks last season and is widely projected among the top prospects in the 2027 NFL Draft.