One of the biggest matchups in the early college football season is Ohio State heading down to Austin to take on Texas. It's the third straight year that the Buckeyes will take on the Longhorns. While the Buckeyes will have most of their guys available for that game, the Longhorns can't say the same.
Offensive lineman Trevor Goosby hurt his knee and might not be fully healthy for the Week 2 matchup. He might not be the only player the Longhorns might be without. They have actually dismissed starting linebacker Ty'Anthony Smith from the program.
Texas dismisses Ty'Anthony Smith just weeks ahead of Ohio State matchup
According to Anwar Richardson of Orange Bloods, the Longhorns have decided to dismiss starting linebacker Ty'Anthony Smith. That means Texas will be down a key player on their defense while they take on what could be the best offense in the country once the Buckeyes head to Austin.
Last season, Smith finished the year with 59 tackles, two sacks, two forced fumbles, and a fumble recovery. He also picked off two passes, showing he was more than a pass rusher. Against the Ohio State Buckeyes in Week 1 last year, Smith had three tackles.
Without Smith on the defense, the Buckeyes have a real shot to run roughshod over Steve Sarkisian's team. Ohio State hasn't had too many issues moving the ball against the Longhorns in each of the last two years, and that was with Smith on the field.
Smith's practice participation over the last few weeks has been sparse, so this isn't shocking to those in Austin. Even so, it's good news for Ohio State with their trip to Austin coming in just a few weeks. Any heavy contributor who is no longer on the roster for Texas is good news for the Buckeyes.
Ohio State should feast on the Texas defense without Ty'Anthony Smith
With Arthur Smith taking over as offensive coordinator, Ohio State should run a more efficient offense. They are going to be able to run the ball better, as that is what Smith specializes in with an offense. Without Smith, Texas is going to have a big problem slowing the Buckeyes down.
Last year, Texas used Smith a lot in coverage. Without him in the starting lineup, things will only get worse. The Longhorns ranked 97th in passing yards allowed, giving up 234.9 yards per game. That is something that Julian Sayin and the Ohio State offense are going to pound on.
Jeremiah Smith has been working on yards after the catch, as have every other Buckeye receiver. The Buckeyes haven't done a great job of getting Smith open against Texas in the last two matchups. With a new offensive coordinator running the show, that could change.
While Texas continues to have distractions, the number one team in the country keeps chugging along. They will narrow down the starting lineup in the next few weeks, and that should help them get more clarity on what they need to work on before taking on the Longhorns.
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