Ohio State vs. Texas to set historic precedent on Aug. 30
With Texas being ranked No. 1 in both polls, and with the game being played inside Ohio Stadium, the oddsmakers -- at least for now -- have the Buckeyes as a favorite. In fact, ESPN itself has OSU as a - 2.5 point favorite over the Longhorns. And while that would hardly be the first time a No. 1 team was an underdog by Vegas standards, according to the "worldwide leader," it will be the first time in college football history that a No. 1-ranked preseason team has opened the season as an underdog.
So, what is the closest a No. 1 team has come to not being favored in its season-opener? According to Doug Greenberg of ESPN, it was when No. 1 Florida State was a four-point favorite over No. 8 Miami (FL) and lost convincingly in the Orange Bowl, 31-0.
The game between the Buckeyes and Longhorns is sure to be one of the most anticipated games of the college football season, and it's already generating a lot of buzz in not just Columbus and Austin, but across the country. Let's hope the home-field advantage OSU should get from playing in the 'Shoe is just what the scarlet and gray doctor ordered.
Contact/Follow us @BuckeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Ohio State news, notes and opinion. Follow Phil Harrison on X.
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