Early Point Spread Released for Texas vs. Ohio State in Week 1

Early Point Spread Released for Texas vs. Ohio State in Week 1 originally appeared on Athlon Sports.

The wait is almost over.

The 2025 college football season will kick off on Saturday, Aug. 23 for Week 0. Although the majority of teams won't see the field until Aug. 30, the Week 1 slate includes one of the biggest games of the year.

Texas will travel to Ohio State for a massive season opener on Aug. 30. The two teams are expected to be ranked within the top five and ESPN's College GameDay will be in attendance. 

The rematch of last years College Football Playoff semifinal will feature Lee Corso's final ESPN broadcast, quarterback phenom Arch Manning's first game as the full-time starter for the Longhorns, and it's expected to mark Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin's first collegiate start.

The winner of this significant non-conference matchup will likely become the heavy favorite to take home the national title this season. And according to FanDuel's early betting lines, Ohio State has the edge in this one. The Buckeyes are the 2.5-point favorite over the Longhorns.

A road win here would give Texas significant momentum through the rest of the season. The Longhorns have benefited from big non-conference games in the past that included key wins over Alabama (2023) and Michigan (2024).

FanDuel also views Texas as the 2.5-point underdog to Georgia, but heavy favorites over Oklahoma and Texas A&M.

Related: Steve Sarkisian Delivers Confident Message on Season Opener at Ohio State

This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 7, 2025, where it first appeared.