Ohio State vs. Texas Prediction: Best Bets, Picks and Props for Tonight

Texas vs Ohio State Picks in Summary

• Ohio State Moneyline (+102)
• Jeremiah Smith Over 83.5 Receiving Yards (-114)

The premier early-season matchup of the year takes place tonight as Texas hosts Ohio State at 7:30 p.m. ET.

This is a rematch of a 14-7 defensive slugfest from last year, which Ohio State won in Columbus. Will things be different this time around?

Using the college football odds at FanDuel Sportsbook as a guide, here are the best bets for this game.

All college football odds come from FanDuel Sportsbook and may change after this article is published.

Ohio State vs Texas Prediction and Picks for Today

Ohio State Moneyline (+102)

The Ohio State Buckeyes were dominant in their opener, while the Texas Longhorns also cruised through Week 1. The Buckeyes beat Ball State 56-3, and their offense produced an impressive debut from quarterback Julian Sayin, who threw for 320 yards. Jeremiah Smith also erupted for 151 receiving yards.

Texas counters with Arch Manning at quarterback, and Ryan Wingo enters this matchup after recording 121 receiving yards in the Longhorns' opener.

I expect this to be a competitive game throughout, but I am still not fully in on Manning even if he’s the clear favorite to be the 2027 No. 1 pick. With the caveat that it was Manning’s college debut and that OSU lost a lot of talent on D this offseason, the Buckeyes mostly dominated Manning in last year’s matchup.

Give me Ohio State in what should be one of the best games of the regular season.

Jeremiah Smith Over 83.5 Receiving Yards (-114)

Smith might be in line for a monstrous season.

The Buckeyes made an effort to get him involved early and often last week, with Smith catching eight balls for 151 yards and two scores. OSU signal-caller Julian Sayin completed 21 passes and threw for 320 yards — with Smith accounting for nearly half of those yards.

Texas has a lot of talent on defense, but there’s no bad matchups for Smith at this level.

With electric after-the-catch ability, Smith can rip off chunk plays as well as anyone, and I like him to go for at least 82 yards this week.

College Football Betting FAQ

What are the most common college football bets?

The most common college football bets are the point spread, moneyline, and game total. Bettors can also wager on player props, team totals, alternate spreads, and futures such as conference champions or the national championship winner.

How does the point spread work in college football betting?

The point spread gives one team a handicap to create a more even betting market. If a team is listed at -7.5, it must win by at least eight points for a spread bet on that team to cash. A team listed at +7.5 can lose by seven points or fewer — or win outright — and still cover the spread.

What does over/under mean in college football?

An over/under, also called a game total, is a wager on the combined number of points scored by both teams. Bettors can choose whether the final score will finish over or under the sportsbook's posted total.

What should you consider before betting on college football?

Matchups, quarterback play, offensive and defensive efficiency, injuries, pace, home-field advantage, and coaching tendencies can all be important.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.