One of the most anticipated matchups of the early 2026 college football season kicks off Saturday night as No. 1 Ohio State travels to Austin to face No. 4 Texas. Beyond the immediate implications for top-25 polling and College Football Playoff seeding, the showdown at Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium carries significant weight in the Heisman Trophy conversation.
Star Power Concentrated in Austin
The combined talent on the field represents a rare convergence of preseason award favorites. According to ESPN Research, 30% of the 10 players with the highest preseason odds to win the Heisman Trophy will participate in this nonconference clash. Texas quarterback Arch Manning enters as a primary contender, while Ohio State counters with quarterback Julian Sayin and wide receiver Jeremiah Smith forming a dynamic passing duo.
This matchup marks just the fourth game in the past 10 seasons where three or more top-10 Heisman odds candidates squared off in August or September. The historical precedent offers intriguing, though not definitive, clues about how such head-to-head battles influence the eventual voting.
Recent History: Ohio State vs. Texas, 2025
The most recent example is practically déjà vu. Last season, these same two programs met in Week 1 with an identical trio of Heisman hopefuls: Manning (preseason favorite at +650), Smith (fourth at 11-1), and Sayin (tied for eighth at 22-1).
The game itself was a defensive struggle, with Ohio State prevailing 14-7. The Buckeyes’ representatives fared better in December’s Heisman voting. Sayin earned a trip to New York as a finalist, finishing fourth, while Smith placed sixth. Manning, despite the preseason hype, did not finish in the top 10. Colorado’s Travis Hunter ultimately claimed the award.
Alabama vs. Texas, 2022: Four Contenders, One Thriller
The 2022 Week 2 meeting between the Crimson Tide and Longhorns featured an even deeper Heisman field. Four players ranked among the top 10 betting favorites: Alabama’s Bryce Young (co-favorite) and Will Anderson Jr. (tied for sixth), and Texas’s Bijan Robinson (eighth) and Quinn Ewers (tied for 10th).
The game delivered high drama, with both teams exchanging go-ahead field goals in the final two minutes. Young engineered a clutch scramble to set up Alabama’s game-winning kick as time expired. Despite the signature moment, Young did not secure a second consecutive Heisman, finishing sixth in the final vote tally — the highest among the four participants. Robinson followed at ninth. USC quarterback Caleb Williams took home the trophy.
Ohio State vs. Oklahoma, 2017: Mayfield’s Moment
The 2017 early-season blue-blood battle in Columbus featured three contenders clustered in the middle of the top 10: Ohio State’s J.T. Barrett and J.K. Dobbins (both tied for fifth) and Oklahoma’s Baker Mayfield (fourth).
Oklahoma dominated, winning 31-16. Mayfield stole the show, throwing for 386 yards and three touchdowns before famously planting a Sooners flag at midfield. That performance foreshadowed a successful campaign; the senior quarterback captured the Heisman that December. Neither Barrett nor Dobbins finished among the top vote-getters.
What History Suggests for 2026
With a sample size of only three games, drawing firm conclusions is difficult. However, the pattern suggests that a standout performance in a high-stakes, early-season showcase can catalyze a Heisman run — as seen with Mayfield in 2017. Conversely, winning the game does not guarantee the award, and preseason favorites like Manning in 2025 can fade if production doesn’t match expectations.
For Sayin, Smith, and Manning, Saturday night offers the first major opportunity to separate from the pack. The winner of this matchup will gain early momentum, but as the past decade shows, the Heisman race is a marathon that extends well beyond September.
