College Football Odds – Texas vs Ohio State Picks

Week 1 of the 2025 college football season offers a phenomenal matchup between the defending national champions and the team that is favored to unseat them in the upcoming campaign. The Ohio State Buckeyes will host the Texas Longhorns at the famed Horseshoe in what will be the Fox Big Noon Kickoff game of the week.

The weather in sultry, muggy Ohio will be oppressive, and the action will be hot. Texas is the trendy future market choice to win the 2025 national championship. Meanwhile, Ohio State is picked to win the Big Ten despite losing key personnel from its national title team of a year ago.

Texas vs. Ohio State Preview

On Saturday, August 30, 2025, the Ohio State Buckeyes will host the Texas Longhorns at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, OH. Kickoff time is noon ET with television coverage on FOX.

Many gamblers believe that Texas is going to be the No. 1 team in the nation. There really is a chance that Arch Manning is as great as touted, and that means nothing else matters all that much, at least in the eyes of gamblers.

But gamblers have a lot more questions about Texas regarding the rest of the roster than what is a typical (expected) No. 1 team, but it could turn out that the answers match the hype. Steve Sarkisian has slowly built quite the juggernaut, and Manning is a Manning.

A lot of names will be different this time. The Buckeyes start with a loaded roster, but they'll have two new coordinators (Brian Hartline on offense, Matt Patricia on defense) leading a lineup that returns basically 5.5 combined starters.

There are former blue-chippers everywhere you look, and receiver Jeremiah Smith and safety Caleb Downs are two of the most proven players in the country. But both lines are starting over, and of the four players with more than 750 yards from scrimmage last season, only Smith returns.

Texas vs. Ohio State Predictions

In this situation, Texas is a surprise underdog and has the revenge factor going for it after losing to Ohio State in the 2024 College Football Playoff semifinal. This is the most talented Texas team gamblers have seen in two decades. But the fact remains that Texas has been an unreliable road dog and will be entering one of the most hostile environments in college football.

Ohio State has been a reliable betting value when favored at the Horseshoe. Texas could prove to be overhyped with Arch Manning as the highly anticipated new starting QB.

Texas Longhorns at Ohio State Buckeyes Prime Best Bet:  Ohio State Buckeyes

Texas vs. Ohio State Betting Tips

The Ohio State Buckeyes opened as a -2.5-point home favorite with a moneyline price of -130. The Texas Longhorns are a +2.5-point road underdog with a moneyline price of +110. Ohio State and Texas have an opening total of 48.5.

Despite being a co-favorite with the Buckeyes to win the 2025 national championship, the Texas Longhorns are a surprise superpower underdog for their matchup against the Scarlet and Gray. Ohio State commands public betting respect as the defending national champion and superpower brand playing at its iconic home venue.

Texas vs. Ohio State Head-to-Head and Key Stats

• In this series between Texas and Ohio State, the Buckeyes and Longhorns split the most recent four meetings straight up, with the last three meetings going under the total.

• Last season in the College Football Playoff semifinals, the Buckeyes beat the Longhorns 28-14 to advance to the national championship game. Ohio State was a -6-point favorite, and the game had a total of 51.5.

• Texas covered the spread in only five of its most recent 19 games as a road dog. Only six of their last 20 games in that role went under the total. On the other hand, the Buckeyes lost only six of their last 20 games as home chalk. Ohio State went over the total in five of its last nine games as a home favorite.