Paul Finebaum Predicts Texas–Ohio State Week 1 Winner Without Hesitation

The upcoming college football season features a highly anticipated Week 1 matchup on August 30th, with the Texas Longhorns, led by quarterback Arch Manning, visiting the defending national champion Ohio State Buckeyes in Columbus. Both teams are expected to be ranked in the top five, potentially top three, making this a rematch of last year's College Football Playoff semifinal, which Ohio State won with a late defensive touchdown.

ESPN analyst Paul Finebaum, appearing on "Get Up," expressed strong belief in Arch Manning, calling himself "married" to the young quarterback. Finebaum made a bold prediction, guaranteeing more than a month before kickoff that Texas will defeat Ohio State in the season opener. He attributed this confidence not just to Manning's famous name, but to Manning's experience as Quinn Ewers' understudy and his understanding of coach Steve Sarkisian's system, stating Texas will "definitely beat Ohio State in the opener."

This year's game will feature new starting quarterbacks. While Quinn Ewers started for Texas and Will Howard for Ohio State in last season's playoff meeting, Ohio State is likely to start Julian Sayin, a former five-star recruit and transfer from Alabama, who was their backup last season. The game is scheduled for 12 p.m. EST on FOX, serving as the first "Big Noon Kickoff" broadcast of the 2025 season.