Sayin for Heisman, Hope for Arch and Other Hot Takes after Ohio State Win over Texas

Months from now, when every overreaction has played out and all takes have been fired off, Ohio State's Week 1 victory over Texas will look differently than it does in present time.

At the moment, it's hard to overstate the importance. The Buckeyes, remade roster after all after winning a national championship, grinded out a 14-7 win over an out-of-conference giant that came into the year with legitimate national championship aspirations themselves.

Both teams trotted out new starting quarterbacks. Both teams dealt with plenty of roster attrition. Both teams have fan bases hungry for more.

We could sanely react to a game that was both imperfect and largely competitive. Or we could take 60 minutes of results, completely overreact, and assemble a list of radioactive takes regarding both teams and their futures.

Let's begin.

Arch Manning Won't Live Up to the Enormous Hype

Let's be brutally honest. 

Arch Manning wasn't great. In fact, outside of a few plays, he was largely bad.

The hype that has been building over the past two years—and especially this offseason—came to a screeching halt on Saturday in Columbus.

Manning was indecisive, off target, anxious and underwhelming. He completed just over 50 percent of his throws for 170 yards. He also ran for 38 yards. He threw an interception, and he nearly threw another.

At this point, it's safe to say he will never be a generational prospect or the next Peyton Manning. But that doesn't mean he can't be an exceptional college football player.

Lost in the bad throws were a handful of exceptional throws, including his touchdown pass in the second half. Manning is an elite athlete with some exceptional skills. He also had the honor of playing in one of the toughest environments in college football.

This was a lot to ask from a young player, and that's the point. None of this is Manning's fault. He, and his family, have been open and honest about the growth still to come. They have done everything to cool hype and excitement that couldn't be cooled.

Manning won't be able to match the insane expectations that have followed him since he's been a senior in high school, and that was never realistic anyway.

It also doesn't mean he won't lead Texas this year and beyond. There is a ton of talent still to be realized. He just needs time—and patience—for it to be realized.

Julian Sayin Will Win a Heisman in the Next Two Seasons

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The numbers weren't jaw-dropping. In fact, without further context, they were relatively mundane.

Sayin completed 13 of his 20 throws for 126 yards and a touchdown. He wasn't asked to do much, especially early on. But the glimpses we saw from Sayin in his first game as Ohio State's starting quarterback still provided a look into the future.

He was composed. He showcased incredible ball placement and tremendous arm strength.Let's simplify that into more appropriate, football-y terms: The kid can sling it.

And eventually, sometime in the next 18 months, he'll lift a giant bronze statue.

Despite dealing with multiple drops—including multiple drops from superstar Jeremiah Smith—Sayin kept going. He eventually connected on a deep touchdown with Carnell Tate, which served as the game's most meaningful play.

The reality is that Ohio State didn't want Sayin to do too much. Not an against an elite defense. (More on that in a moment.) Head coach Ryan Day called a conservative game with a new starting quarterback, and he had the luxury of doing so thanks to the Buckeyes' play on defense.

But that will change soon enough. Sayin will get more comfortable, and Day will expand the playbook as he does. When he does, Sayin, surrounded by talent, will play his way into the Heisman race. And then next year, around this time, he'll be the favorite to win the award.

It's not a matter of if; it's a matter of when.

Ohio State's Rebuilt Roster Will be in the National Title Game

The last time we saw Ohio State before Saturday, things were very different. Fresh off a national championship, the exodus began.

In April, 14 Buckeyes were drafted off of a team that won a national title, which tied a record. When you think about losing that many starters, that many touchdowns, that many tackles and that many reps, one can't help but assume there will be a drastic impact.

Nope. They're back. And they'll be back in college football's most important game once again.

Despite losing its starting quarterback, multiple elite running backs, key targets, massive members of its defense and both its offensive and defensive coordinators, the Buckeyes looked reborn.

They just beat the preseason No. 1 team with so many new parts. Just imagine how much better this group will look come Halloween.

There will be no rebuild. Ohio State's chase for back-to-back national titles began today.

Texas Will Finish with the Nation's Best Defense. Period.

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Lost in the Manning hysteria and the afterglow of a mammoth result is a simple fact. Although Texas fell short in its first game of the season, the Longhorns allowed Ohio State to total 203 yards of offense.

That's it.

Dive a little deeper, and the numbers get even better. Ohio State averaged just 2.3 yards per carry, and the Longhorns limited wideout Jeremiah Smith to just 43 yards on six catches.

This defense was largely exceptional on the road in a tricky spot, especially when you consider how much the offense struggled. As the new starting QB gets settled, and he will, he will do so while playing for the best defense in the entire sport.

This group was elite on Saturday, which should come as no surprise. After finishing with the nation's No. 3 ranked defense last season, the Longhorns returned a bevy of players—headlined by standouts Anthony Hill Jr. and Colin Simmons.

There are future NFL players scattered across the sideline and at every level, and they will carry this team until further notice.

While Manning's film will give opposing teams plenty of information to work with, the film of the defense will keep future offensive staffs up at night.

This group has a chance to not just be the best in the country; it would wind up being one of the truly exceptional defenses in recent memory.