Even with the home-field advantage and the odds on their side, the No. 4 Texas Longhorns have an uphill battle ahead of them with the No. 1 Ohio State Buckeyes coming to town. This means every player who suits up in burnt orange on Saturday will have to play the best games of their lives.
However, there are a few Longhorns who will have to play nearly flawless football if they want to finally beat the Buckeyes, a team that has defeated Texas two times in a row in as many seasons.
Yes, head coach Steve Sarkisian should expect excellence across the board, but the performance level from these three players could make or break Texas's chances at taking down the top team in the country.
1. Arch Manning, quarterback
In Week 1, Texas starting quarterback Arch Manning had a good game, but not a great game against the Texas State Bobcats. Yes, he tied his career-high of four passing touchdowns and amassed over 300 yards through the air, but there were still a few flashes of his old poor decision-making.
The sack he took and the interception he threw near the end of the first half in Week 1 were entirely unnecessary and completely avoidable.
Even Sarkisian said in the postgame presser that Manning undoubtedly could have gotten rid of the ball more quickly to avoid the sack. He repeatedly said that the interception was Manning simply trying to do too much and attempting to force another touchdown before halftime.
Against Ohio State, those errors will not be acceptable because, unlike the Bobcats, the Buckeyes will convert those turnovers or losses of downs into points on the other side of the ball.
2. Melvin Siani, right tackle (and the entire O-Line)
In that same vein, the offensive line will have to play out of its mind against the Ohio State pass rush and run defense. To put it lightly, if the O-Line folds, Texas's offense doesn't stand a chance.
More specifically, right tackle Melvin Siani will have to remain steady against one of the best edge rushers in the country: Kenyatta Jackson Jr.
While the Buckeyes were "only" playing the Ball State Cardinals last week, Jackson racked up seven quarterback pressures, three total tackles, and one tackle for loss. In other words, he was all over the backfield in the first game of the season.
Siani and whichever offensive linemen Sarkisian rotates in throughout the game at right tackle will have to go head-to-head with Jackson. If the Horns slip up even once, it will undoubtedly result in Manning feeling the pressure that leads to the questionable decision-making we've seen in the past.
3. Graceson Littleton, cornerback
As everyone has talked about all week long (and really all offseason), the biggest weapon that Ohio State boasts isn't the team's quarterback Julian Sayin, but Sayin's go-to wide receiver Jeremiah Smith.
With unbelievable speed, elite body control, and sureness with his hands, Smith has repeatedly been touted as the best player in all of college football, regardless of position. However, the Horns have held him to just seven catches for no touchdowns and only 46 yards over their last two meetings.
More likely than not, Texas's star cornerback Graceson Littleton will be assigned to Smith, and if he doesn't ensure that he stays within an arm's reach of the Buckeyes' star wideout, then Smith could find the end zone in a matter of seconds, no matter who else stands between him and a touchdown.
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