Now, No.6 Ohio State will step back into the ring on Saturday, a week after blowing that 20 point lead a week earlier in the loss at now-No. 1 Texas.

Safety Earl Little Jr. says the Buckeyes are eager to reassert themselves, which oddsmakers believe won't be a problem against prohibitive underdog Kent State in Ohio Stadium.

But that doesn't keep observers such as Bill Raninowitz, author of Buckeye Brotherhood about the 2024 national championship team, and Tim May Show late-week regular Jeff Snook from looking back with a critical on what could have, perhaps even should have, gone better at Texas.

"We'll win the game or know the reason why," is the way one of the school songs goes. 

Knowing what he knows now, yes Ryan Day would have ordered his team let Texas score (and take 1 point lead) with a minute left instead of opting to see if his defense could goal-line-stand the Longhorns.

Either way was no guarantee, of course.

But that was the last question to Day on the witness stand, uh, press conference podium on Tuesday, three days after the 24-23 loss to the now-No. 1 team in the country.

Welcome to Columbus, folks.

By the way, the Buckeyes host Kent State on Saturday.

More on that ... later.

You fancy yourself the best team in the country, you amass a 23-3 lead through three quarters over the No. 4 team in the land at its place.

You're supposed to win big, but at least win.

Ohio State suffered a colossal collapse at Texas, a game it could have run away with at the most, and should have won at the least.

But in the fourth quarter the Buckeyes' defense couldn't get off the field as Arch Manning kept making clutch plays, and conversely QB Julian Sayin and company couldn't make just the one play that could have saved the day.

Matt Wilhelm and Dillon Davis take turns joining Tim to talk about what happened and what now for the Buckeyes.

A big game deserves a major preview, so Tim rolls in some of his friends to give No.1 Ohio State at No.3 Texas the once over x4.

Jeff Snook chimes in from his vacation suite in Honolulu, Tony Gerdeman of Buckeye Insiders has his views, Bill Bender of The Sporting News talks the national implications of such a high profile early season match, then attorney John Johnson II steps up from the streets of Austin to give a bonafide fan's perspective ... an example of why Buckeye Nation is the real deal.

Kick back and enjoy. It's a long time till game time.

Julian Sayin and Ryan Day have some thoughts as Ohio State prepares for early season showdown at Texas.

Yes, the offensive line must play better.

Yes, Julian Sayin much more advanced than this time a year ago when he made his first collegiate start.

Yes, so is Arch Manning.

Plus, Double Down Dillon Davis joins Tim to talk about all things surrounding this matchup.

Let's talk.

Ohio State is 1-0 and still ranked No. 1, but Matt Wilhelm sees a problem the Buckeyes can’t afford to carry into Texas: the run game. On this episode of The Tim May Show, Tim May and the former Ohio State All-American linebacker break down the 56-3 win over Ball State, the matchup with Arch Manning and Texas, and what has to improve before the Buckeyes head to Austin.

Wilhelm explains why Ohio State’s first-half rushing struggles matter, why missed tackles could become dangerous against better talent, and how the Buckeyes can use Jeremiah Smith, Legend Bey and their other explosive playmakers to stress Texas.

The guys also get into:

• Julian Sayin and the Ohio State passing attack
• Jeremiah Smith’s impact on defensive game plans
• Legend Bey as a potential offensive “chess piece”
• Kenyatta Jackson’s breakout potential
• Ohio State’s defensive backs facing Arch Manning, Cam Coleman and Ryan Wingo
• Jim Tressel entering the Ohio State Ring of Honor
• Matt Wilhelm watching his son Mason run out in an Ohio State uniform
• The controversial ending to Michigan-Western Michigan
• Why Wilhelm believes Texas may be under more pressure than Ohio State

It’s a loaded Buckeyes episode with one of the biggest games of the college football season coming next.

Watch The Tim May Show on FanStreamSports.com and subscribe for Ohio State football news, analysis and reaction all season.

No.1 Ohio State kicks off the 2026 football season by hosting 50-point underdog Ball State of the Mid-American Conference at 12:30 Saturday.

Tim fist brings in Bill Bender of The Sporting News and then Jeff Snook of parts unknown (just kidding) to talk some about the Buckeyes and some about the overall scene of what Tim considers the greatest sport on earth.

But before that we hear from Ryan Day, OSU left guard Luke Montgomery and cornerback Devin Sanchez, especially on how youth could be served on this team with emphasis on two freshmen, running back Legend Bey and CB Jay Timmons, whose names have been uttered often through preseason camp.

Saturday will start to tell the tale.

No. 1 Ohio State heads into its 2026 opener vs. Ball State Saturday in Ohio Stadium bearing great expectations for the huge games to come, not the least of which is the trip to Texas next week.

Ryan Day understands how folks might be looking down the road, but he has challenged his team to stick to what's in front on that path, even if it is a 50-point underdog.

Day says success for him, besides a win, would be to see his team play a "clean" game in terms of penalties, mistakes, turnovers and the like. 

He had other things to say, too, especially with regards to former OSU national championship coach Jim Tressel, whose name will go up on the stadium ring of honor,  and former OSU national championship RB Maurice Clarett, who will ring the bell in the southeast tower pregame signifying a call to action.

Hut-Hut. HUT!!

Jim Tressel joins Tim to talk about the ceremony coming Sept. 5 that will unveil the coach's name up on the Ohio Stadium ring of honor, right where it belongs.

Matt Wilhelm goes in depth on the significance of it since he was a player at Ohio State when Tressel was named to replace John Cooper.

Wilhelm, former Ohio State All-America linebacker and Super Bowl winner with Green Bay, speaks of the resounding lift Tressel brought to the program that led to the 2002 BCS national championship upset win over Miami, and the legacy from Tressel's 10-year era that resonates to this day among his former players and OSU fans.

Rise and sing Carmen Ohio!

No. 1 Ohio State is a week away from is 2026 opener vs. Ball State, and the team's identity is rounding into form.

You can tell that by the seven elected captains, just the seventh time in program history there has seven or more.

Dillon Davis of DelGazette.com joins Tim to talk about those developments, zooming in on three of them in superstar receiver Jeremiah Smith, two-time captain and Block O jersey recipient receiver Brandon Inniss, and two-time captain right guard - yep - Austin Siereveld.

Good insight on the team is offered by all three, and that comes after Dillon offers his five must-deliver players on the team and Tim either agrees or disagrees.

For goodness sake, it's call conversation, not acclamation.