Texas pulled off a massive Week 2 victory over top-ranked Ohio State in Austin, handing the Buckeyes an early bump in their 2026 campaign. But instead of throwing shade at the losing side, Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian did something unexpected. He stepped up to defend Ryan Day’s team, insisting that taking on a brutal non-conference game on the road should work in Ohio State’s favor when playoff selection time comes around.

“I hope that if they end up being a 9-3 team, the committee can appreciate the fact that they came to Austin, Texas. In September, when it was 100 degrees and played us in that environment,” Sarkisian said during his weekly media availability on Monday, September 14. “They should not be punished; quite frankly, Ohio State should be rewarded.” 

Even though the official playoff rankings won’t come out until November 3, Sarkisian is laying the groundwork early to shape the narrative. At 1-1, Ohio State is nowhere near eliminated in this 12-team playoff era, but this early loss shrinks their margin for error.

Sarkisian wants the committee to remember this September heat battle two months from now so a high-risk road game doesn’t knock a top contender out before November even arrives.

Sarkisian’s stance comes from personal experience. Last year, the Longhorns lost their season opener to the Buckeyes in Columbus, 14-7. Texas then finished the campaign 9-3 and landed at No. 13 in the final CFP rankings, the first team out of the 12-team field. 

Before the final CFP list was about to come out, the Texas head coach campaigned for his team’s inclusion in the playoffs. His whole argument was about the Longhorns getting punished for scheduling a tough non-conference matchup.

“Do you want us not to schedule Ohio State? Because if we’re a 10-2 team right now, this isn’t a discussion. We’re in the playoffs,” he said after the Texas A&M win last season. “But we were willing to go up there and play that game.”

In 2025, Texas lost to Ohio State (7-14), Florida (21-29), and Georgia (10-35). Florida finished 4-8. Texas also beat No. 6 Oklahoma (23-6), No. 9 Vanderbilt (34-31), and No. 3 Texas A&M 27-17. The Longhorns went 3-2 against teams ranked in the top 10. Sarkisian’s issue was that the committee treated the close Ohio State loss more like a regular loss than a quality one.

In August 2025, the CFP added a record-strength metric that gives more credit for beating strong teams and less penalty for losing to them. It gives little credit for beating weak teams and more penalties for losing to them.

Moreover, Texas wasn’t just punished for the Ohio State loss. Instead, the defeat to an unranked Florida team hurt them more. But that doesn’t dismiss Sarkisian’s main point. If Texas had scheduled an FCS opponent, they could’ve easily been 10-2. Given their strength of wins, the CFP committee would have included them in the final 12 over teams with the same 10-2 record.

It remains to be seen whether Ohio State will have two more losses in the 2026 campaign. Currently at 1-1, the Buckeyes have an easier Week 3 matchup against Kent State, followed by a home game against Illinois.

However, the road is going to get tougher from Week 5 onwards. The Buckeyes have an away game against No. 18 Iowa. They also have to travel to Bloomington to face the defending champion Indiana, followed by a trip to Southern California to take on USC. In the last four games, Ryan Day’s team will have two tough home matchups against Oregon and Michigan.

Looking at this schedule, it’s not far-fetched to assume that Ohio State can have two more losses. At 9-3, Ryan Day may have to resort to Steve Sarkisian’s arguments for Texas from last season.