Steve Sarkisian hopes loser of Texas vs. Ohio State in 2025 doesn't get punished for College Football Playoff

Texas will begin the 2025 season with the same opponent that ended 2024 for them. A trip up to Columbus to face Ohio State is one of college football’s biggest of the year as potential preseason top-three teams face off. Ohio State is the reigning national champion as well, reaching the mountaintop just over a month ago.

The calendar might only read March but Steve Sarkisian already knows the magnitude of this matchup for himself, his players, and the program.

“I love this opportunity,” Sarkisian said via The Herd. “I think it’s great for our players in summer workouts and training camp to know who we’re getting ready to go play and the task at hand. I think now with the expanded playoffs, as long as we don’t punish those teams for going to play those games then it’s great for college football.

“It’s opening weekend, it’s Texas and Ohio State. It’s a rematch of the semifinal game of last year’s playoffs. It’s great for their program, great for our program. That’s what the players we recruit, that’s the games they want to play in. They want to be in those big-time games.”

Sarkisian has already coached in some big-time regular season games at Texas. Specifically in the nonconference slate against Alabama and Michigan. He has wound up on the winning end the past two years and eventually earned a spot in the College Football Playoff.

These kinds of showdowns mean a perceived CFP contender is going to suffer a loss early in the year. In Sarkisian’s eyes, the committee should not punish them for doing so. Yes, there might be an extra loss on the schedule but Sarkisian believes strength of schedule should come into effect.

“This is a great opportunity for both programs,” Sarkisian said. “Somebody’s going to win, somebody’s going to lose. But hopefully, the team that doesn’t win that game, doesn’t get punished from the committee for playing in that game early in the season.”

Move wiggle room is available in the 12-team era, at least based on one season of data. Ohio State lost its finale against Michigan and still comfortably made the field. Doing so resulted in winning a national championship Ryan Day desperately needed, lifting a huge weight off his shoulders.

Sarkisian has plans of going to the Shoe and getting Texas its first win of 2025. Day will have a similar mindset throughout the summer and into fall. But Sarkisian hopes whichever team winds up on the losing end will not be punished long-term if in a race to earn an at-large CFP bid.