Texas makes history as first No. 1 college football team to be Week 1 underdog for Ohio State showdown
Preseason college football rankings be damned, so it seems.
The No. 1-rated Texas Longhorns are coming into the first week of the season as betting underdogs when they face the reigning champion Ohio State Buckeyes on Aug. 30.
Ohio State is favored by 2.5 points across the entire betting market, with the total coming in at 48 points for what could be a shootout.
This marks the first time the No. 1 team is opening its season as an underdog, according to ESPN's data dating back to 1978.
The No. 3 Buckeyes opened as three-point favorites, and some money has come in slightly on the Longhorns to move the line a bit.
With the Buckeyes playing host for this noon ET game, it's reasonable to suspect that if these two teams faced off on a neutral field this game would be a pick 'em.
Big names will be littered throughout the gridiron on that late August day, although this matchup between top-three teams — separated by No. 2 Penn State in the rankings — is the headliner.
Jeremiah Smith was dominant for the Ohio State Buckeyes last season.
Getty Images
These squads battled in the College Football Playoff last season, with the Buckeyes grabbing a 28-14 victory in the semifinal before they beat Notre Dame for the title.
The Longhorns should be a highly formidable team this season thanks to their star quarterback Arch Manning, who many have projected will be the No. 1 overall pick if he enters the 2026 NFL Draft.
Betting on the NFL?
Should he stay for the 2026 season, he will be competing for the top spot in the 2027 NFL Draft along with Ohio State star sophomore receiver Jeremiah Smith.
These two players profile as some of the best players in college football while playing with excellent supporting casts, and surely the popcorn will be ready at Ohio Stadium.
Why Trust New York Post Betting
Erich Richter is a brazilian jiu-jitsu blue belt but he has a black belt in MMA betting. During the football season he's showcased massive profits at The Post in the player prop market the last two seasons. While constantly betting long shots, his return on investment is 30.15 percent since 2022.
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