The college football season 2024 is fast approaching, and with this season, people have started ranting about which teams will be making it to the College Football Playoff. While four teams have seemingly the highest chances of going unbeaten throughout the season, let’s face it – people are just not blind counted. It’s raw emotion, hard work, and the deliverance of performance on the football field every week.

ESPN’s FPI gives Texas a 23.3% chance of going undefeated, and Ohio State isn’t far behind at 19.8%. It is still important to note that what those numbers represent is not the thing that wins football games, paper does not play football. Both teams have the weapons, but they’re going to have to run the table each week if they wish to keep their playoff status.

Texas is on fire. That is clear from the recent case where Arch Manning replaced Quinn Ewers. They have started the season 3-0, and they’ve been throwing their weight around and making it seem simple. Following the domination of the UTSA 56-7, going into the game without Ewers, who suffered an abdominal injury, might have had Longhorns fans biting their nails, but Arch was like a boss who had been itching for this moment.

Manning was electric, throwing for 223 yards and four touchdowns on only nine completed passes. And, oh yeah, he also ripped a 67-yard touchdown run, which can’t be said by either of the other two Mannings. The kid’s got wheels. “Sometimes the hype is met by the results,” as one fan put it. 

Texas accumulated 494 total yards, and this team did not even have their starting quarterback in for most of the Arkansas game. On defense, Texas is nasty. They’re not just winning games. They’re crushing souls. UTSA was secured with the exclamation point placed on it by cornerback Ethan Burke who took an intercepted pass back 30 yards for a touchdown. Looking forward to the Longhorns’ match with Louisiana-Monroe, all are waiting for Ewers’s return; however, Texas has depth and swagger that can lead them to victory.

On the other hand, Ohio State is currently at 2-0 after a 56-0 shutout in Western Michigan. Will Howard – the newly signed QB – is already settling in well. He made his first 10 passes, passed for 292 yards, and even had a rushing touchdown to boot. These Buckeyes are out there bullying teams!

And, again, it is not only the offense. The defence shut down the Western Michigan offense in the second half to allow them to gain a mere five yards. Howard had this to say after the game; “We’ve got so many guys doing good things, but we can still get better.” Ohio State is blessed with too many talents, Jeremiah Smith, even made a big play, a 70-yard touchdown reception.

Ohio State piled up 683 yards total offense, and coach Ryan Day did not have to offer an excuse for the overwhelming win. “We try to be respectful, but we’ve got to let our guys learn and make mistakes because, down the road, we’re going to need these guys,” Day said. At the moment, both Texas and Ohio State are equipped with the swagger and squad strength to do it. But there’s this thing about college football – every week is a battle.