Oregon Falls Hard, Michigan Stumbles as Texas Upsets Ohio

Week two of 2026 college football has already shaken up the playoff picture. One preseason favorite, Oregon, took a beating on the road against Oklahoma State. The Ducks surrendered 554 total yards and gave up an incredible 237 rushing yards. They faced a team that had lost twelve straight games heading into Saturday.

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Michigan also dealt a blow to its own hopes after losing on the road to a 1-0* Oklahoma team that spent the week buried by national media headlines. The biggest shock came in the game of the season. That match delivered the most surprising result of the weekend, not just for the final score but for how it played out.

The Texas Longhorns pulled off a miraculous comeback against Ohio State in Austin to win 24-23. This victory gave them breathing room for a potential playoff berth and provided one of the best resume boosters any team can hope for in 2026. Head coach Steve Sarkisian earned well-deserved praise for his second-half adjustments.

Instead of playing not to lose, Sark coached like he was trying to win even on hostile turf. He went for it twice on fourth and long, including a critical fourth and nine from the Texas 42-yard-line late in the third quarter. The Longhorns were successful both times. That urgency allowed them to get back in the game and eventually take the lead.

Afterward, Sarkisian took a victory lap by blasting other programs for scheduling easy opponents while hosting Ohio State. "We could be like other teams and play Jones Junior High and win 66-0," he told reporters. "I don't know what that does for us. Tonight we found out that we can (win big games)."

That game showcased college football at its finest. Two historic blue blood programs squared off on campus rather than at Mercedes-Benz Stadium or another unaffiliated NFL venue. It gave Arch Manning a signature moment in Austin and proved Texas is still dangerous despite obvious flaws and mistakes during the contest. This result was a complete 180 from how Sarkisian discussed the game after last season.

For context, the Longhorns missed the College Football Playoff in the 2025-2026 regular season by finishing 9-3 with more deserving teams ahead of them. They lost on the road to Ohio State early, but they also lost to a dismal 4-8 Florida team and were blown out by Georgia. They struggled to close overtime wins against bad Kentucky and Mississippi State squads. After beating Texas A&M to finish the regular season, Sark went ballistic on the selection committee.

"It would be a disservice to our sport if this team is not a playoff team when we went and scheduled that non-conference game (Ohio State)," he said in an interview. "Because if we're a 10-2 team, it's not a question. But, we were willing to go play that game. So, is that what college football is about? Don't play anybody and just have a good record, or play the best and put the best teams in the playoff. And, we're one of the best teams."

There is a clear problem with that logic though. The Longhorns were not left out simply because they lost to Ohio State by seven points.

Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian finds himself in a strange position after leading his team to a victory over Ohio State. Previously, he faced criticism because the program lost to fourth-ranked Florida and struggled against Kentucky and Mississippi State. Objective metrics supported this view; analytics-driven systems like ESPN's SP+ ranked the Longhorns at No. 22 heading into playoff selection. That ranking explains their exclusion from the postseason. They did not deserve a spot based on those standards.

Following that decision, Sark took to social media to vent about scheduling choices involving powerhouse programs like Ohio State. He promised in December 2025 that he would "re-evaluate" future rosters because he felt tough strength of schedule went unrewarded. Now the tables have turned completely. He is celebrating his victory against a top-tier opponent rather than an FCS team. Had the Longhorns lost this matchup and finished with a 9-3 record again, his reaction would likely be one of complaint.

To give him credit for the dilemma, balancing schedules is indeed difficult. On one side, both programs should receive praise for stepping up to play this high-stakes game. Yet on the other side, Sark argues that the final result shouldn't dictate scheduling rewards. He insists winning or losing is irrelevant and that playing the opponent matters most. That sentiment came from him on Monday according to The Athletic.

"Quite frankly, Ohio State should be rewarded for playing in this game against us, and so that's my goal," Sarkisian said. "Time will tell, you know. And this isn't crying over spilled milk. I don't think we got rewarded for going to Columbus last year in Week 1."

Everyone wants more matchups like this one. But without stakes tied to performance or outcome, what is the point? A logical solution would involve clear criteria combining forward-looking efficiency ratings with strength of resume rankings and human evaluation to select playoff teams. Such a system would reduce subjectivity, properly reward difficult schedules, and leave less room for complaints when an undeserving team misses out.

Unfortunately, that approach makes too much sense for college football right now. Do not expect any changes in the selection process anytime soon.