What the Odds for Texas vs Ohio State Tell Us About The Matchup

For the third year in a row, the Texas Longhorns are preparing for a game against the Ohio State Buckeyes in one of the most anticipated games early on in the 2026 college football season.

It's a matchup between two titans of the sport, looking to give the winner a better resume than any other team, which will be critical when College Football Playoff resumes are discussed later in the year.

With two of the best rosters, the Longhorns and Buckeyes are nearly evenly matched with talent all over the place, but the early betting line has the Longhorns as the favorites to prevail when the two teams meet in Austin.

Home Field Advantage

Ohio State Buckeyes linebacker Arvell Reese (8) pursues Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning (16) during the NCAA football game at Ohio Stadium on Aug. 30, 2025. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

After being the road team last year, the Longhorns get a chance to defend their home turf, looking to break a two-game losing streak to the Buckeyes, and perhaps more importantly, land a marquee win for quarterback Arch Manning.

On paper, these are two of the best rosters in the sport, and the talent disparity will be non-existent, with the course of the game being decided by which team makes fewer mistakes and does the little things right.

Regardless, whoever loses won't be in any worry as it isn't a conference game, but the matchup does signify a temperature check, and potentially the No. 1 ranking in the sport after the game is over, and with the Longhorns being two-point favorites, according to FanDuel, the early lean is on them.

Looking Back Over the Years

This marks the sixth all-time meeting between the two programs, with the first three coming between 2005 and 2008, in nearly the exact same fashion. The two teams met for a home-and-home series before meeting in a New Year's Day bowl game.

The last three meetings have been nearly identical, but flipped, with the Longhorns and Buckeyes facing off in a College Football Playoff game, followed by two years of a home-and-home agreement. While many wondered if the series would be canceled to protect schedules, the two programs refuse to shy away from tough competition.

As far as the odds go, this is the second straight game the Longhorns enter as the favorites. In the first of three meetings in the playoffs, the Buckeyes were six-point favorites and would go on to win 28-14.

Last year, in the first game with Manning as the full-time starter, the Longhorns traveled to Columbus as 1.5-point favorites, but would fall 14-7. Now, as two-point favorites, the Longhorns will look to prove they are able to change the course of history, rather than reliving it.

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