The college football world is already buzzing about the marquee non-conference matchup that will kick off the 2025 season: a heavyweight showdown between the Texas Longhorns and the defending national champion Ohio State Buckeyes. These two programs last met in the Cotton Bowl at the end of the 2024 season, where Ohio State ended Texas’s hopes of competing for a national title with a hard-fought victory. Now, the Longhorns are eyeing revenge—and at least one prominent analyst is fully on board with that narrative.
Paul Finebaum, the outspoken ESPN and SEC Network personality known for his unabashed support of Southeastern Conference programs, made waves this week when he guaranteed that Texas will defeat Ohio State in Columbus to open the new season. Speaking on ESPN, Finebaum called the upcoming Texas vs. Ohio State matchup the most important non-conference game on the 2025 college football calendar and doubled down on his belief that the Longhorns would not just compete—but win.
“The best team in the SEC isn’t going to lose to Ohio State again,” Finebaum said. “Texas will go into the Shoe and take them down.”
It’s a bold claim, especially considering the game will be played at Ohio Stadium, one of the most intimidating venues in all of college football. The Buckeyes are coming off a national championship season, riding high on momentum and fueled by a roster stacked with returning talent and elite recruits. The home crowd in Columbus is expected to provide a raucous atmosphere for the season opener, which adds another layer of challenge for visiting Texas.
Still, Finebaum isn’t convinced that Ohio State will have the edge this time around. His confidence in Texas stems from the belief that the Longhorns are poised to take another step forward in 2025. After coming painfully close to reaching the national championship game last season, Texas has reloaded with one of the strongest recruiting classes in the country, bolstered by key returners and transfer portal additions. Many analysts expect them to be a legitimate title contender again this year.
While some critics are calling Finebaum’s prediction “SEC homerism,” there’s no denying that Texas has plenty of reasons to believe they can flip the script in this rematch. The Longhorns have an experienced roster, a dynamic offense led by a maturing quarterback, and a defense that improved steadily throughout last season. Plus, head coach Steve Sarkisian has emphasized this game as a tone-setter for the rest of the season.
For Ohio State, the game presents its own challenges. The Buckeyes may be the reigning champs, but they’ll have to deal with the pressure of defending their title while breaking in some new starters and facing sky-high expectations from their fan base. A season opener of this magnitude means there will be little room for error.
As the countdown to kickoff continues, the stakes for this game only grow higher. Ohio State and Texas are not just playing for early-season bragging rights—they’re battling for playoff positioning, conference pride, and a national spotlight.
Whether Finebaum’s bold guarantee holds true remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: all eyes will be on Columbus when the 2025 season kicks off.