The Ohio State University is ranked number 1 in both polls while the Longhorns of Texas are ranked number 2. The Horns won the 2005 BCS National Championship in a thrilling victory over Southern Cal in the Rose Bowl to finish the season. The Ohio State Buckeyes could have been in that game back in January had they knocked off Vince Young and his Longhorns way back in September 05’ at the Shoe in Columbus in the schools’ first ever meeting. It could have been the Buckeye’s Ted Ginn, Jr. holding up the BCS Trophy at the end had it not been for those three points. Now it is September 2006 and the game has come full circle. It is the biggest game in the land and its in Austin. The college football world will be watching this game because it has national implications.
Like last year there is plenty on the line. This will be just the second meeting between the two schools. Texas prevailed 25-22 last year in Columbus, scoring the wining touchdown on a 24-yard Vince Young to Limas Sweed pass with 2:37 to play for a 23-22 lead. Josh Huston tied a school record with five made field goals for the Buckeyes and Linebacker A.J. Hawk had 12 tackles, an interception and a fumble recovery. Young completed 18 of 29 passes for 270 yards and a pair of scores and also rushed for 76 yards. The Longhorns jumped out to a 10 point lead in the first quarter, trailed 16-13 at the end of three quarters. The Horns winning touchdown drive covered 67 yards. Over the years, Ohio State has posted a 27-4-1 record against teams from the Big 12 Conference.
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Jim Tressel’s Buckeyes have won eight-consecutive starts. The longhorns of Mack Brown are defending national champions and have reeled of 21 victories without a defeat. Additionally, the Longhorns have won 18 of their last 19 games in Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Saturdays’ kickoff in Austin is set for 7:12 pm EDT and will be televised nationally by ABC. A crowd of more than 85,000 is expected to pack the stadium for the game that has had fans from both schools buzzing since last year’s classic. In addition to ABC, College GameDay will originate its broadcast from Austin.
Both teams are coming off solid opening day performances. Ohio State opened its 2006 season with a 35-12 win over visiting Northern Illinois. Led by quarterback Troy Smith, the buckeyes scored on their first four possessions and raced out to a commanding 28-0 lead. Smith threw touchdown passes on each of the Buckeyes’ first three possessions and finished the day by completing 18 of 25 passes for 297 yards. Texas got out of the gate with a 56-7 thumping of North Texas in Austin as freshman quarterback Colt McCoy made his debut as the successor to Vince Young. This will be the first regular-season showdown between a No.1 and a No.2 team since second-ranked Florida State upended No. 1 ranked Florida 24-21 in Tallahassee in November of 1996.
This will be Ohio State’s first regular-season visit to the state of Texas since a 1976 game against SMU in the Cotton Bowl. The Buckeyes’ only other appearances in the Longhorn state were against Texas A&M in the 1987 Cotton Bowl and Oklahoma State in the 2004 Alamo Bowl.
The Line for the Texas Longhorns vs. Ohio State Buckeyes is currently set at –3.0 at BODOG Online sportsbook with a total of 51. The Pick- UNDER 51.
