The Texas Longhorns have a chance to put an early damper on a potential Heisman Trophy campaign when they open the season against sophomore wide receiver Jeremiah Smith and the Ohio State Buckeyes on Aug. 30 in Columbus.
Smith enters the season as one of the frontrunners for college football's most prestigious award after putting up 1,135 yards and 15 touchdowns as a true freshman last season — quickly cementing himself as a projected top pick in a future NFL Draft (whenever he chooses to leave once eligible).
Smith is not the only Heisman contender who will appear in this game. His own quarterback, Julian Sayin, is expected to compete for the award if he can play to his potential in his first season as a starter. Sayin was the consensus No. 1 quarterback in the 2024 recruiting class. Plus, Texas quarterback Arch Manning is also a frontrunner entering the season.
A high-stakes season opener has early College Football Playoff implications and Heisman contenders on both sides
After a tremendous freshman campaign, the national audience will be eager to see what Smith can do for an encore and whether he'll remain a sure-fire NFL prospect. He's now the focal point of the Ohio State offense with receiver Emeka Egbuka and running backs TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins off to the NFL.
While neither team necessarily needs to win Week 1 now that the playoff field has been expanded, the matchup between the Longhorns and the Buckeyes will be a big game for each team's resume and provide opportunities for individuals to stand out against elite competition. Plus, a Texas victory would be a tremendous step for its program after being pushed around by Ohio State in the College Football Playoff Semifinal last season.
To do that, stopping Smith is priority No. 1, and it's no easy task. However, the Longhorns held him to just one catch for three yards in the semifinal game, and Pete Kwiatkowski's defensive unit returns much of its talent from last season — including five players who played significant roles in the secondary, like Michael Taaffee, Jaylon Gilbeau, Jelani McDonald and Malik Muhammad.
Both teams should return to the top 10 in the preseason poll, setting the stage for an epic showdown during opening weekend. Smith and Sayin will have the home crowd behind them, yet Texas showed it can play through those challenges with its road victory over the Michigan Wolverines last September.
Texas should be extra motivated after the way last season ended. Its chances to compete for a third straight CFP appearance and another shot at the national title start with shutting down the Jeremiah Smith hype before his sophomore season can get started. The Longhorns have done it before, now they must prove it wasn't a fluke.