It isn't often that the No. 1 team in the nation is an underdog in any given week, but that's the exact position No. 1 Texas found themselves in at the start of the season last year when they visited Ohio State, and the exact opposite is true as the No. 1 Buckeyes come to the Longhorns' home this week.
With just about 18 hours until kickoff, the Horns stood as 1.5-point favorites over the Buckeyes, the home-field advantage flipping in Texas's favor this year.
Texas vs. Ohio State spread, money line, and O/U
- Spread: -1.5 Texas, +1.5 Ohio State
- Money line: -118 Texas, +100 Ohio State
- Over/Under: +/-49.5 points
Odds are courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook. Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.
While it's a minuscule spread, it created a situation for Ohio State that the team hasn't found itself in for a long, long time: as the underdog.
This is the first time the Buckeyes have been the underdogs in three years, securing a place as the odds' favorite week in and week out since the year before their National Championship run in 2023.
However, this isn't exactly the best news for the Horns.
Texas can't let the odds make them feel comfortable vs. the Buckeyes
While it's always nice to have the belief in others on your side (even if it's coming from the oddsmakers in Las Vegas), it isn't necessarily a good omen ahead of this weekend.
Since 2012, seven years before current head coach Ryan Day even took over in Columbus, the Buckeyes have gone 10-3 against the spread as underdogs. That means the final score of those games was either closer than the spread expected or Ohio State won those games outright.
In fact, the Buckeyes did walk away victorious from nine of those 13 matchups. So, yes, it's nice to have the tables turn in Texas's favor, but are these odds actually all that good a sign for what's to come if you're a Longhorn fan?
Over the last three years, Ohio State has had Texas's number, with Day leading the Buckeyes to a 2-0 record against Steve Sarkisian and the Longhorns. This weekend is a chance to undo that curse and exact a little revenge.
Ultimately, it's going to come down to the performances by stars like Texas QB1 Arch Manning and Ohio State QB1 Julian Sayin or Texas WR1 Cam Coleman and Ohio State WR1 Jeremiah Smith.
However, even with the Buckeyes in unfamiliar territory, the Horns can't afford to ease into this game just because the odds are in their favor.
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