The Texas Longhorns take on the Ohio State Buckeyes in Columbus, Ohio, on Saturday, Aug. 30. Kickoff is set for 12 p.m. ET on FOX.
Ohio State is favored by 1 point on the spread with a moneyline of -110, with Texas also sitting at -110. The over/under, meanwhile, comes in at 47.5 points.
Here’s my Texas vs. Ohio State prediction and college football picks for Saturday, August 30.
Texas vs Ohio State Predictions, Pick
- Texas vs. Ohio State Pick: Texas ML -110
My Ohio State vs. Texas best bet is on the Longhorns moneyline. Find the best line available on our live NCAAF odds page.
Texas vs Ohio State Odds, Line, Spread
| Texas Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+1 -110 | 47 -110o / -110u | +100 |
| Ohio State Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-1 -110 | 47 -110o / -110u | -120 |
- Texas vs Ohio State Spread: Ohio State -1, Texas +1
- Texas vs Ohio State Over/Under: 47 Total Points
- Texas vs Ohio State Moneyline: Texas ML +100, Ohio State ML -120
Texas Longhorns vs Ohio State Buckeyes Week 1 CFB Preview
Texas Longhorns
Arch Manning's 2025 debut as a starting quarterback couldn't come in a game with higher stakes. The junior will enter the Horseshoe with 95 career passing attempts, racking up nine touchdowns and just two interceptions.
Head coach Steve Sarkisian has tried to contain his excitement about the new starter under center, commenting that the playbook has expanded to "what Jayden Daniels, Jalen Hurts and Josh Allen do."
Expect Manning to lead running backs Quintrevion Wisner and CJ Baxter in a heavy RPO attack aimed at the Ohio State interior.
The Longhorns' defense will field one of the most efficient groups in the nation, bringing back edge rushers Colin Simmons and Trey Moore.
But the most important angle of this game comes in the secondary, as they attempt to shut down a Buckeyes wide receiver who will get Heisman consideration in Jeremiah Smith.
Cornerback Malik Muhammad is expected to be one of the best in the nation, as the junior returns a whopping nine pass breakups.
Ohio State Buckeyes
Fall camp ended with head coach Ryan Day landing on Julian Sayin as the new Buckeyes quarterback. The sophomore had a limited freshman season (14 dropbacks), and rumors swirled that the former blue-chip recruit hadn't done enough to win the job for the 2025 season.
Sayin will inherit one of the best wide receivers in college football in Smith. The sophomore had an incredible run in the College Football Playoff, amassing five touchdowns on more than 370 yards receiving through four games.
The Ohio State defensive line had a complete overhaul after the run to the National Championship. All four positions were lost to the NFL, leaving a couple of transfers and reserves, such as nose tackle Kayden McDonald and Eddrick Houston.
The good news is a linebacker unit — anchored by linebacker Sonny Styles — returns 19 pressures and 68 tackles.
The biggest question on defense is where Caleb Downs will line up on the field. After playing most of the 2024 season as the single-high safety, Downs was allowed to roam and shut down outside zone read rush attempts in the College Football Playoff.
Defensive coordinator Matt Patricia's decision on the positioning of Downs is critical to the Buckeyes' success against the Texas offense.
Texas vs Ohio State College Football Bet to Make
Texas touched +3 in the summer betting market, a number that's been hammered to a pick'em at some shops.
The Buckeyes have more unanswered questions than the Longhorns, as Ohio State will roll out two new coordinators. Both teams have new quarterbacks under center, but the experience of Manning trumps that of Sayin.
The game will more than likely be won in the trenches, where Texas has the advantage on offense against an inexperienced defensive line of Ohio State. The Buckeyes used the portal to look for depth on the defensive line, signaling that this group may struggle to hold the line of scrimmage.
While the positioning of Downs on the Buckeyes' defense is critical, the Longhorns' Finishing Drives mark will be massively important in 2025.
Sarkisian has struggled to finish in the top half of FBS in points per drives that cross the 40-yard line, with the exception of 2021 when Bijan Robinson and Roschon Johnson ran the wildcat.
If Manning is able to get the same results, Texas is at the front of the line of national title contenders.
Pick: Texas ML -110 or Better
