"Arch Manning is a great QB": Ryan Day gives rival Texas its flowers as national champs face Steve Sarkisian in 2025 season opener

Ryan Day's Ohio State Buckeyes will begin their quest for a title defense with an all-important game against the Texas Longhorns in the 2025 season opener. The prestigious programs met in the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic Semifinal last season.

Day's program won that game 28-14 to advance into the finals and eventually win the national championship. At the time, Quinn Ewers served as the Longhorns' starting quarterback. He completed 23 of 39 passes for 283 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. However, in 2025, Texas has a new quarterback and it's the Heisman favorite, Arch Manning.

Previewing the matchup on Thursday's appearance on College GameDay Podcast, Ryan Day spoke highly of Steve Sarkisian while giving Manning his flowers.

“Arch Manning’s a great quarterback, and Texas does a great job,” Day said (45:30 onwards). “Sark does a great job.”

Day also had high respect for the Longhorns as a team.

“They’re a very good team—very well coached,” Day said. “We knew coming off the field how much respect we had for them.”

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Ryan Day highlights disadvantage of playing Texas in Week 1

Ryan Day is a seasoned coach and knows that playing a non-conference marquee matchup like Texas is not in the team's best interest as they chase reappearance in the 12-team College Playoff Field before going on to defend their title.

Day raised a broader concern shared by many top coaches: the need for automatic qualifiers in the newly expanded College Football Playoff system. Without guaranteed spots for elite conference teams, playing marquee non-conference opponents could become a strategic liability.

"If we don’t have automatic qualifiers, there’s going to be less motivation to play these games," Day added. "And I think they’re great for college football—and great for our team. But if it’s going to be detrimental to getting into the playoffs, that changes the equation."

Day even spoke to Clemson's Dabo Swinney while going on a recruitment drive for his son. There, he discussed the early-season preparation and how playing a powerhouse right out of the gate impacts everything.

"When you have a young team, you’ve got to be really accurate in what you’re doing," Day said. "You can’t afford to miss tackles or get caught off guard in Week 1—not against Texas."

Let's see how the Buckeyes contend with Arch Manning & Co. in the season opener.