The biggest game of Week 2 in the 2026 college football season is set to take place in Austin, where No. 4 Texas hosts No. 1 Ohio State in a matchup with major College Football Playoff implications. Both teams entered the game with national championship expectations, but the consequences of the result will be very different depending on who comes out on top.
For Ohio State, the matchup represents an early opportunity to strengthen its position as the No. 1 team in the country. A victory on the road against another top-five program would immediately give the Buckeyes one of the strongest wins available on their résumé and could keep them firmly in control of the national championship conversation.
Texas, meanwhile, has an opportunity to make one of the biggest statements of the season. The Longhorns are already ranked No. 4, but beating the No. 1 team at home would dramatically elevate their résumé and could establish them as one of the favorites to reach the College Football Playoff. The result could also have a significant effect on both teams’ rankings heading into Week 3.
What happens if Texas loses vs Ohio State today?
If Texas loses to Ohio State, the Buckeyes would emerge with arguably the most valuable win of the early 2026 season. Beating a top-four opponent on the road would give Ohio State an enormous résumé boost and strengthen its case to remain No. 1 in the AP Top 25. More importantly, it would give the Buckeyes a major advantage in the race for a high College Football Playoff seed.
Texas would suffer its first loss of the season, but the damage would not necessarily end its playoff hopes. Losing to the No. 1 team would be far less damaging than falling to an unranked opponent, especially if the Longhorns remain competitive throughout the game. However, Texas would likely fall several spots in the rankings and would have less room for error during the rest of the season.
What happens if Texas wins vs Oho State today?
If Texas defeats Ohio State, the Longhorns would make an enormous statement by taking down the No. 1 team in the country at home. A win of that magnitude would likely push Texas into the top spot or very close to it in the AP Top 25, depending on how the rest of the weekend unfolds. It would also immediately become the centerpiece of the Longhorns’ playoff résumé.
For Ohio State, the consequences would be much more significant. The Buckeyes would lose their No. 1 ranking and suffer their first defeat of the season, while Texas would take over the spotlight in the national championship race. Ohio State would still have plenty of time to recover, but its margin for error would become smaller, particularly if other Big Ten contenders continue winning.
Texas would have everything to gain from this result because a win over Ohio State could provide the kind of résumé foundation that separates playoff contenders from the rest of the field. The Longhorns would still need to navigate the SEC schedule, but beating the No. 1 team would put them in an extremely strong position for the CFP conversation and could make them one of the teams to beat nationally.
What happens if Ohio State and Texas tie today?
If Ohio State and Texas are tied after regulation, the game would not finish as a tie. College football uses overtime to determine a winner, with both teams getting opportunities to score until one team finishes the overtime period ahead.
