When: Noon ET, Saturday, Aug. 30
Where: Ohio Stadium – Columbus, OH
TV: Fox
Odds: Ohio State -2.5 | O/U 49
Opening week of the 2025 college football betting season features three top-10 matchups, highlighted by a rematch of last year’s CFP semifinal as defending champion Ohio State hosts Texas at the Horseshoe in Columbus.
Game Preview
Ohio State won the national title last season and will again push for a repeat. Texas enters the first season of the Arch Manning era as the top-ranked team in the country. With OSU laying the obligatory home-field number, this matchup would likely be a pick’em on neutral turf.
College Football Betting Odds
The market opened Ohio State -3 with a total of 50. Early betting shaved the spread to -2.5 and the O/U to 49.
Texas Longhorns Betting Outlook
Texas returns 11 starters from last year’s 13–3 squad that reached the CFP semifinals. The Longhorns started 6–0 before a home upset to Georgia, later losing to UGA again in the SEC title game. They bounced back to beat Clemson and Arizona State in the CFP before falling to OSU in the Cotton Bowl, 28–14.
Only four starters are back on offense after losing QB Quinn Ewers, three top WRs, and four linemen. However, seven defensive starters return from a unit that allowed just 283 YPG. Texas went 11–1 through the 2024 regular season, clearing its O/U of 10.5. Their 2025 wins total is set at 9.5.
Ohio State Buckeyes Betting Outlook
Ohio State returns just nine starters from its championship team. Last year, the Buckeyes went 13–2, beating Tennessee, Oregon, Texas, and Notre Dame en route to the title. OSU did lose to Oregon and Michigan in the regular season.
Six starters are back on offense, including WR Jeremiah Smith (16 TDs) and three OL. But OSU must replace QB Will Howard and 1,000-yard rushers Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson. Only three starters return on defense, which was elite last year (255 YPG allowed). The Buckeyes went 10–2 in the 2024 regular season, under their O/U of 10.5. Their 2025 win total is also set at 10.5.
Recent Matchup History
These teams last met in January’s Cotton Bowl, where OSU won 28–14. The score was deceptive: Texas trailed just 21–14 late before a strip-sack TD sealed the game. Ohio State outgained Texas 370–341, and the game went under the total of 52.
Betting Trends
- Texas is 4-0 SU, 3-1 ATS in season openers under Sarkisian
- Texas is 1-6 SU, 2-5 ATS as an underdog under Sarkisian
- Ohio State is 7-0 SU, 2-4-1 ATS in season openers under Day
- Ohio State is 37-3 SU, 24-16 ATS at home under Day
Totals Report
- Unders went 9-6 in Texas games last year (48 PPG avg.)
- Totals split 8-8 in OSU games last year (49 PPG avg.)
