The 2^nd ranked, 1-0 Texas Longhorns of coach Mack Brown hosted the top-ranked, 1-0 Ohio State Buckeyes & coach Jim Tressel.  The game featured the first regular season match-up of teams ranked number 1 & 2 in 10 years.  Ohio State's Heisman Trophy winning, All-American QB Troy Smith threw 2 touchdown passes while All-American LB James Laurinaitis forced a fumble & intercepted a pass that lead to 10 points as the Buckeyes claimed their fifth Belt championship with a 24-7 victory over the Longhorns.  On their opening drive, Ohio State moved the ball easily into field goal range but redshirt freshman PK Aaron Pettrey missed a 28-yard field goal when he hooked it left.  The teams exchanged punts before Texas went to a no-huddle offense & started moving the ball behind the running of RB Jamaal Charles & the passing of QB Colt McCoy.  The Longhorns drove 73 yards to the Ohio State 7-yard line before Laurinaitis made his first big play.  McCoy threw a short pass to WR Billy Pittman but as Pittman fought for the goal line, Laurinaitis forced a fumble that was recovered by Ohio State's CB Donald Washington who returned the ball to midfield.  Smith completed 3 of 4 passes, all to WR Anthony Gonzalez, as the Buckeyes scored on a 14-yard touchdown pass to finish the 5-play, 50-yard drive giving them a 7-0 lead as the 1^st quarter ended.  After each team punted twice, Texas took possession at their own 22-yard line with 9:00 left in the half.  McCoy mixed short passes with the running of Charles to drive 78 yards in 13 plays with the touchdown coming on a 2-yard pass to Pittman that tied the game at 7-7 with just 1:55 to play before halftime.  Smith & the Buckeyes put together a 66-yard drive with their 2-minute offense when, with 0:16 to play, Smith hit All-Big Ten WR Ted Ginn, Jr. on a 29-yard touchdown pass that put Ohio State ahead 14-7 at the half.  The 3^rd quarter was all Ohio State as Texas never got past their own 41-yard line & McCoy's first pass of the half was intercepted by Laurinaitis.  The interception set-up a 31-yard field goal by Pettrey & gave the Buckeyes a 17-7 advantage.  The Longhorns tried to respond early in the 4^th quarter but their drive ended with a missed 45-yard field goal by Texas' PK Greg Johnson.  With 12:18 to play, Ohio State drove 72 yards in 10 plays using 5:47 of game time.  Buckeyes' RB Antonio Pittman capped the drive with a 2-yard touchdown run that put Ohio State on top 24-7.  Texas was unable to move the ball & Ohio State effectively ran out the clock to claim the fifth Belt championship.  Smith finished with 269 yards passing with 2 touchdowns & Gonzalez added 8 catches for 142 yard to his touchdown.  McCoy threw for 154 yards with a touchdown but also an interception in the loss.  The Longhorns finished the season 10-3 ranked 13^th nationally while the Buckeyes finished 12-1, Big Ten Champions & ranked 2^nd nationally.  Texas would play for The Belt again in 2008.