No. 1 Ohio State vs. No. 4 Texas Odds, Picks & Predictions

The top-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes face the No. 4 Texas Longhorns on Saturday at  Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ET on ABC.

The. Buckeyes (1-0 SU, 1-0 ATS) have defeated the Longhorns (1-0 SU, 1-0 ATS) in each of the past two seasons. Is it finally time for Steve Sarkisian and Texas to exact some revenge? Both teams are coming off blowout wins against lesser opponents in Week 1.

Ohio State vs. Texas Odds at Kalshi

Check out Ohio State vs. Texas odds at Kalshi:

Ohio State won last year’s game against Texas, 14-7, on its home field. The Buckeyes will try to make it three straight with a road win in Austin.

Best Bet Ohio State vs. Texas: Against the Spread

Texas -1.5 (-104)

Sarkisian is 0-2 versus Ryan Day in the head coaching matchup. This game has Heisman Trophy candidates on both sides of the ball. QB Julian Sayin and WR Jeremiah Smith pace Ohio State’s offense. Quarterback Arch Manning anchors the offensive attack for Texas.

Ohio State won its 27th consecutive opening game after rolling Ball State, 56-3. Texas was equally impressive in a 59-7 rout over Texas State. With those scrimmages out of the way, the stage is set for the biggest college football matchup of the regular season.

Manning, who threw for 305 yards and four TDs in the opener, has a talented duo of receivers to target, including Ryan Wingo, who had seven catches for 121 yards and a TD against Texas State. Auburn transfer Cam Coleman made the most of his Texas debut with a pair of TDs on three catches. North Carolina State transfer Hollywood Smothers is the lead running back for Texas this season. He had a team-high 70 rushing yards in the opener.

Sayin seemingly threw to everybody in the win over Ball State. Fourteen different players hit the stat sheet with at least one catch. Smith, as he usually does, led the way with 151 yards and a pair of TD catches. UTSA transfer Devin McCuin added six catches for 97 yards and a TD.

The Buckeyes averaged 6.8 yards per carry in the opener. Bo Jackson and Ja’Kobi Jackson both amassed 83 rushing yards with long rushing TDs.

This game has all the makings of an instant classic, and it will likely be decided by the team that plays better on defense. Texas features one of the best front-sevens in college football. Edge rusher Colin Simmons and linebacker Rasheem Biles are two of the best players nationally in their respective positions. Ohio State transfer Hero Kanu is also a force on the defensive line. He had three tackles against Texas State.

Matt Patricia‘s defense remains stout after losing three players to the NFL in Caleb Downs, Arvell Reese, and Sonny Styles. OSU’s linebacking corps is led by Payton Pierce, TJ Alford, and Riley Pettijohn, who led the Buckeyes with six tackles in the win over Ball State. OSU also expects to have Alabama transfer Qua Russaw in the lineup against Texas. The linebacker is recovering from a broken foot suffered last season and missed the opener, but will reportedly play on Saturday.

Ohio State will need to do a better job of pressuring Manning, who was only sacked once in last year’s game. That will help a secondary that skews younger with sophomore Devin Sanchez and freshman Jay Timmons as cornerbacks. Look for Manning to try to exploit them in the aerial attack with Wingo and Coleman. That could prove to be the difference on Saturday night, but Texas will have its own challenges in containing Sayin and Smith.

Pick: Longhorns -1.5

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Kris Johnson

Deputy Editor

Kris Johnson is a graduate of Middlebury College. He has spent most of his life working in sports, primarily writing about them.

Before starting his most recent position as Deputy Editor in the summer of 2025, Johnson spent nearly four years with Catena Media as a senior writer.

His career began at a Gannett newspaper in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., where Johnson oversaw the production of a daily horse racing betting supplement called “The Pink Sheet” during Saratoga’s famed summer thoroughbred meet.

Johnson then worked for the Detroit Red Wings as director of media relations for the NHL’s top minor league affiliate in upstate New York.

He then spent four years with MMI/IMG in Charlotte, N.C., where he ultimately served as publicist for NASCAR champion Dale Jarrett on behalf of sponsor UPS.

His work has appeared in Sports Business Daily, Sports Business Journal, The Sporting News, and NASCAR Illustrated. Johnson received the Catlin Journalism Award of Excellence on two occasions.

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