The Ohio State Buckeyes remain the top-ranked team in the country after crushing Ball State in the opener. They travel to Austin this week to take on fourth-ranked Texas, which will be one of the toughest games they face all year. With it being on the road at night, it will be a hostile environment.
While the Buckeyes feel great about their chances of winning this game, some college football analysts don't feel the same. Paul Finebaum is as big an SEC shill as there is. He doesn't think that the best team in the Big Ten has a prayer of beating the best team in the SEC.
Paul Finebaum gives Ohio State no chance to slow down Arch Manning and beat Texas
While appearing on First Take, Finebaum gave the unsurprising take that he thinks Texas will beat Ohio State on Saturday night, and he thinks Arch Manning will have a big game.
"He just has to block all of the noise out, which I think he is very capable of doing at home. He has to execute. He has so many skill-position players around him. He's got one of the best wide receivers; of course, Julian Sayin has the same thing on the other side. He just can't let the noise bother him. I don't think it will, and that's why I'm extremely confident that Arch Manning is going to lead his team to a victory Saturday evening."
Finebaum clearly believes that the game hinges on Manning's ability to move the ball and dice up Ohio State's defense. Of course, he failed to do that effectively last season. He looked lost, and that was thanks to the scheme that Matt Patricia dialed up.
It's strange that Finebaum is discounting the fact that Patricia could just do that again this weekend. The Buckeyes only allowed three points against the Cardinals in Week 1. They also didn't really show anything on film that the Longhorns can use to prepare. Manning could still be confused when he takes the field.
Ohio State will have a plan to contain Arch Manning's legs
The best way for Manning to break down the Buckeyes is for him to make plays on the ground. He is an extremely mobile guy. Keeping him in the pocket and not being able to create down the field is something that the Buckeyes are going to focus on defensively.
However, Finebaum doesn't address the other side of the ball. How is Texas going to stop Ohio State's offense? The Buckeyes have the best receiver in college football and the most accurate quarterback. What exactly is Sark's plan to deal with that?
Ohio State has a great opportunity to not just shut Finebaum up, but shut everyone up who doesn't fully believe that they can win another national title. Ohio State probably has the most explosive offense in the country. They can score from pretty much anywhere on the field.
A win on Saturday night would make it so Finebaum can't deny that Ohio State is the best team in the country.
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