Progrums

Colin Simmons’ Blueprint for Cliffhanger at Darrell K Royal

The Texas Longhorns are gearing up for a blockbuster Week 2 tilt against Ohio State after Colin Simmons reminded everyone that no opponent is too big. Despite preseason hype pegging the Buckeyes as a 17 percent favorite to win it all, Texas sits close behind at 12.8 percent in ESPN’s FPI. Texas opens with an under-the-radar test against Texas State, then hosts Ohio State in Austin on September 12 at 6:30 p.m. CT. With the third-toughest schedule in college football—ten Power Conference foes, six ranked opponents, and four daunting SEC road trips—Simmons insists every game is “a must-win.” His even-keeled approach seeks to fend off trap-game pitfalls and keep momentum intact. While a win over Ohio State would be a marquee statement for the Steve Sarkisian era, a close loss won’t derail Texas’ national title aspirations. In the expanded 12-team playoff, conference showdowns against Tennessee, LSU, Texas A&M and Ole Miss may carry even more weight in the long run.

In Texas’ playbook, framing Ohio State as a mere road bump is genius. By downplaying “the biggest game” label, Simmons ensures that Midwestern heroes don’t inflate their own egos and that Texas State finds itself under the glare of SEC spotlight. It’s like reminding a shark that it’s just another fish—incapacitating hubris before it sets in. Meanwhile, the SEC schedule awaits like a final boss gauntlet, so why waste mental energy? If Texas loses to Ohio State, they’ll simply chalk it up as an educational field trip en route to Atlanta. Nothing screams “we’re the real deal” more than shrugging off a potential 14-7 defeat in front of a national TV audience. Hold onto your cowboy hats: this season might end with a shrug, not a confetti cannon.