Clash of Titans: Top Two Teams Match Up in Austin

With the first week of inconsequential games in the books, the real meat of the college football schedule begins this Saturday, highlighted by a marquee matchup in Austin, Texas. The earliest game featuring a #1 and #2 ranked teams since 1996 will be on televisions throughout the nation Saturday as the defending National Champions, the Longhorns of University of Texas take on consensus #1 team in the nation, the Buckeyes of Ohio State.

The University of Texas will look to rookie quarterback Colt McCoy as they attempt to extend their winning streak of 21 games, the longest such streak in the nation, and a streak that includes a victory of Ohio State in last years duel, 25-22, and a win against the previous holder of the longest winning streak, USC, to win the National Championship.

On the flipside, Ohio State University will look towards its playmaker at the quarterback position, Troy Smith, to provide the spark that the Buckeyes need to defeat the defending national champions in their home stadium. Smith, a senior playcaller, completed nearly 80% of his passes (18 / 25) against less-than-stellar opponent Northern Illinois in the season opener. Smith also is a threat on the ground, having rushed for 11 touchdowns and over 600 yards in his junior season.

Smith, however, will not be alone in the playmaker mold for the Buckeyes. Ted Ginn Jr., the standout kick returner and wide receiver, is garnering a lot of attention with his own race for the Heisman Trophy this season and the University of Texas is doing all they can to help out his case. Tarell Brown, cornerback, was arrested this week under suspicion of drug and weapon charges stemming from a traffic stop and subsequent search of the vehicle he was riding in. The real story with missing Brown, however, is the fact that Ginn Jr. now has no equal facing off with him and just may allow him to run wild. Brandon Foster, a 5' 9" cornerback, will look to neutralize Ginn Jr. but the junior from Austin, Texas will have quite a chore on his hands. In the opening game for the Buckeyes, Ginn lined up against the Northern Illinois secondary and promptly smoked the underpowered defense for 4 receptions, 123 yards, including a 58-yard touchdown reception to go along with a 5-yard reception for a touchdown on the opening drive of the season.

The wild card in this game, as always, will come down to special teams. Ginn Jr. will look to break through with large kick return numbers against the stellar special teams unit of the Longhorns. Texas punter, Greg Johnson, knocks the ball out an average of 43.5 yards so far in this young season as well as smashing kickoffs through the end zone three out of seven times in the Longhorns' opener. The leg of Johnson, and the speed of Ginn is sure to have a large effect on the outcome of the #1 and #2 national championship-type match this weekend in Austin.