For the second straight year, Ohio State and Texas will stage one of the most anticipated college football games of the season early on when the Buckeyes travel to Austin on Sept. 12 in Week 2. Last year, Ohio State was able to dictate the game with its defense and won a huge matchup that boosted the Buckeyes’ résumé and likely kept Texas out of the College Football Playoff.

The same could be true in 2026, according to Fox College Football’s Joel Klatt. While appearing on his own podcast, Klatt took some time to talk about the massive collision between what should be two top-five teams when the two kick things off. He believes the winner will be in good shape, but that the loser could have an uphill climb to get into the CFP.

“The loser of this game is behind the eight-ball. Ryan Day and Steve Sarkisian know exactly how important that game was to their teams and their programs a year ago,” Klatt said. “Look at what Ohio State was able to do. They had eight new starters on defense. They generated a ton of confidence — a ton of confidence in their brand new quarterback, Julian Sayin, and their new defensive coordinator, Matt Patricia. Based on what they were able to do and how they controlled the game against Texas at home early last year.

Klatt then went on to talk about this year and the difference in teams, but also how difficult the schedules are after the titanic collision at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium.

MANSFIELD — The North End Community Improvement Collaborative, Inc. (NECIC) will host a Community Visioning Session in partnership with Heritage Ohio, Inc. on Tuesday, July 28 at 6 p.m. at the United Steelworkers Hall, located at 376 West Longview Avenue in Mansfield.

The public is invited to attend and share input on the future of Mansfield’s North End, with a focus on strengthening neighborhood revitalization efforts and identifying opportunities for continued growth and investment.

The session is part of an upcoming visit from Heritage Ohio’s Downtown Assessment Resource Team, also known as D.A.R.T. The visit is designed to help communities explore next steps for revitalization and introduce the key building blocks of a successful long term revitalization effort: organization, promotion, design, and economic vitality.

NECIC reached out to Heritage Ohio as part of its ongoing work to support revitalization in the North End, especially near the corner of Springmill Street and Bowman Street, where NECIC has been focusing recent revitalization efforts.

Since joining the organization in early 2025, NECIC President & CEO Matthew Benko- Scruggs has placed a strong focus on revitalization near the corner of Springmill Street and Bowman Street.

This work has included the organization’s move back into the neighborhood, continued investment in the area, and community centered efforts such as the Springmill Spring Cleanup event.

During the Community Visioning Session, residents, business owners, stakeholders, and other community members will have the opportunity to learn more about Heritage Ohio, the revitalization process, and ways they can help shape the future of the North End.

“We want this process to be rooted in the voices of the people who live, work, and invest in the North End,” said Benko-Scruggs. “This session is an opportunity for the community to share ideas and help guide what revitalization can look like in our neighborhood.”

Heritage Ohio, Inc. is a statewide nonprofit organization that supports the development, redevelopment, and improvement of downtowns and neighborhood districts throughout Ohio through technical assistance, training, networking, and advocacy.

Community members are encouraged to attend and take part in the conversation.

For more information, contact Director of Community Organizing Emily Schwan at 419-
522-1611, ext. 109 or Emily@necic-ohio.org.