Looking out for No. 1

AUSTIN, Texas -- Leave it to Texas coach Mack Brown to put just the right spin on the first ``Game of the Century" of the 2006 season, tonight's battle between No. 1 Ohio State and No. 2 Texas at Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium.

``If both teams play well, it could end up like last year's game and be one of the best games in the history of college football," said Brown, who also described the buildup for the game as ``cool."

Actually, it's hot, very hot. Temperature for the 8 o'clock kickoff is expected to be close to 90. But the sizzling conditions going into the game are even more intriguing.

Texas (1-0) had its warm-up last week with a 56-7 romp over North Texas, which marked the debut of redshirt freshman quarterback Colt McCoy, who had a credible game, completing 12 of 19 passes for 178 yards and three touchdowns.

But Ohio State is not North Texas and the Longhorns know that. They also know the Buckeyes still have the memory of last year's 25-22 loss to the Longhorns in Columbus, Ohio, embedded in their minds.

The Buckeyes (1-0) also had their warm-up game a week ago with a 35-12 romp over a decent Northern Illinois team. Texas is not Northern Illinois and the Buckeyes know that.

The Buckeyes are led by senior quarterback Troy Smith, who is looking to do what Vince Young did for Texas a year ago: use this game as a springboard for a national championship season.

Smith, who is a Heisman Trophy contender, had a strong opening performance against Northern Illinois, completing 18 of 25 passes for 297 yards and three touchdowns.

Smith didn't start last year's game as he was still preparing for action after serving a two-game suspension for accepting money from a booster.

There is no question he's the Buckeyes' leader this season. ``It's not a game of revenge," said Smith. ``We're just trying to stay on an even keel as a team. All that's tough to do, but you can't let yourself buy into that. You have to treat it like every [other] game."

For Texas, the hype must seem natural. It is the second time in three games the Longhorns have faced the No. 1 team, with last year's Rose Bowl and Bowl Championship Series title victory over Southern Cal as the other.

While nothing will be settled after tonight's game, the matchup of the top teams in the poll is fairly unusual, especially this early in the season. It is only the 11th regular-season meeting between the No. 1 and No. 2 teams, and the first time it has happened in 10 years, when No. 2 Florida State beat No. 1 Florida, 24-21, Nov. 30, 1996. It's also the earliest meeting of No. 1 and No. 2.

Brown, still basking in the spotlight of an unbeaten season and his first national championship, said the tradition of the meeting should be appreciated as much as the meeting itself.

``You look at the all-time wins," said Brown. ``Texas is No. 3, Ohio State is No. 5. Two storied programs."

``This is a big game," said linebacker John Kerr. ``But every game is a big game to us. That's why you come to Ohio State, and that's why you play football."

Both teams do that very well. As well as anyone in the country right now. The Longhorns will have to deal with Ohio State's offense, led by Smith and wide receiver Ted Ginn Jr., and they will have to deal with it without their best cornerback, Tarell Brown, who was suspended by Brown this week after being arrested on misdemeanor drug and weapons charges (though the drug charge was dropped yesterday).

Ohio State will have to find a way to keep its cool in a loud and hostile environment against a team that seldom loses at home.

All of this in the second week in September, not November, which means both teams will have ample time to recover, with the possibility of facing each other again in Arizona in January in a game that would feature even more hype and have much more meaning.