After one week, Ohio State has figured out some roles for its new players. The Buckeyes have plenty of new contributors on both sides of the ball, and the game against Ball State put them in those new roles. That includes some exciting freshmen, such as Legend Bey.
However, the Buckeyes did have a new player who was not able to participate in Week 1. Qua Russaw, the transfer from Alabama, missed the first game. However, he will be back for Week 2. Texas might be missing one of its exciting new players for this massive matchup, however.
Texas RB Derrek Cooper is a game-time decision for Ohio State game
According to Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports, freshman running back Derrek Cooper is listed as a game-time decision. He suffered an ankle injury in the season-opener against Texas State, only carrying the ball twice for six yards. Now, it looks like he is in danger of missing this top-four matchup.
Cooper was a four-star recruit in the 2026 recruiting class and is expected to play a sizable role in Texas' offensive attack this season. The Longhorns like his power, and they want to get him the ball in a position for him to get downhill quickly. He's almost the opposite of Bey in that regard.
If Texas doesn't have him at its disposal, it could hurt how they are planning on moving the ball. Ohio State should be fully healthy on the defensive side of the ball, so that should help them slow down the Longhorns. Of course, that won't be easy with Arch Manning on the other side.
Ohio State should be healthy this early in the year. The Ball State game wasn't exactly taxing, as they were able to roll players in and out of the game on both offense and defense. This isn't the only injury that Texas is dealing with, as offensive lineman Trevor Goosby isn't 100 percent, either.
Ohio State is hoping to send a powerful message to the rest of college football
A win in Austin at night would be a massive statement to the rest of the country. It would prove that the Ohio State Buckeyes are the best team in the country. It would also give them a buffer against any future losses in what is a brutal schedule that they must navigate.
Ohio State has to play five top 25 teams this season. It was six, but TTUN's gifted win saw them drop out of the polls entirely. This will be either the hardest or second-hardest game that they will play this season. The Indiana game is the only other one that will rival this one.
Staying healthy after this game will be key for both teams. It's still very early in the season, so neither team can afford to have a key player go down with an injury. Ohio State has done a good job of dealing with injuries in the last couple of years, but they would prefer not to have to do so this season.
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