Urban Meyer Reveals Who Has the Advantage Between Texas and Ohio State

Urban Meyer Reveals Who Has the Advantage Between Texas and Ohio State originally appeared on Athlon Sports.

After the Texas Longhorns lost to the Ohio State Buckeyes in the semifinals of last year’s College Football Playoff, they can get revenge in Week 1 of the 2025 season.

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Texas lost 28-14 to Ohio State, ending its first season in the SEC, during which it also appeared in the conference championship.

On a recent episode of “The Triple Option,” Urban Meyer revealed which team has the advantage in the Week 1 matchup and why. He picked Ohio State because of how unstoppable star receiver Jeremiah Smith is.

Smith led Ohio State as a true freshman last season, with 1,315 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns.

“Here’s why I think Ohio State’s got the advantage,” Meyer said. “They have Jeremiah Smith, the best player in college football, and I don’t think it’s really that close. You can roll up on him, you can double him, and you can slow him down. You can’t stop him.”

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The Longhorns and Buckeyes have faced off four times before. Before last season’s meeting, they had faced each other in the 2008 Fiesta Bowl, with Texas winning 24-21.

Back in March, Texas quarterback Arch Manning was the favorite to win the 2025 Heisman via FanDuel at +800. He is still the favorite as of July, back his odds have dropped to +750.

However, Meyer is not completely sold on Manning, referencing the quarterback’s lack of experience.

In another episode, Meyer went back to his days in the Pac-12, as the head coach of the Utah Utes from 2003-04. He emphasized the conference’s current efforts, following the announcement of Texas State’s 2026 membership.

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It seems Meyer is confident in his former program. Kickoff is August 30 at Noon ET on Fox.

Related: Urban Meyer Names Future Aspect of College Football That ‘Bothers’ Him

This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 25, 2025, where it first appeared.