Charles Esther
Texas, freshly holding the top spot in the preseason Associated Press Top 25 poll for the first time in program history, enters Week 1 as a 2.5-point underdog against No. 3 Ohio State in Columbus, according to ESPN BET lines.
Unprecedented Situation for a No. 1 Team
If the betting line remains stable, Texas would be the first preseason No. 1 team to be an underdog in a Week 1 game since ESPN Research began tracking in 1978.
Historical Comparison to Past No. 1 Week 1 Games
The closest comparable Week 1 spreads saw Florida State as a 4-point favorite losing to No. 8 Miami in 1988, Auburn losing as a 5-point favorite to No. 10 Miami in 1984, and Notre Dame winning while favored by 5 points over No. 4 Michigan in 1990.
Texas-Ohio State: The Most Popular Early Bet
According to ESPN BET, the Texas vs. Ohio State matchup is currently the most wagered college football game of the early season. Texas leads with 54.1% of spread bets and 73.6% of money line bets at +115.
Betting Trends on Game Total
On the over/under set at 48.5 points, 26.4% of bets and 56.4% of the money favor the under (-115).
Texas and Ohio State Tied as National Championship Favorites
Both Texas and Ohio State share +550 odds to win the College Football Playoff, making them joint favorites in the betting market.
Penn State Close Behind at +600 Odds
Penn State, ranked No. 2 in the AP poll and narrowly missing the top spot by five points, holds the third-best odds to win the championship at +600.
Betting Public Favors Texas and Ohio State Strongly
Texas commands 21.7% of national championship bets, with Ohio State at 13.9%, making them the two most-backed teams by bettors in that market.
Penn State Leads Slightly in National Championship Bet Handle
Penn State holds 11.7% of the bet tickets on the national title, just ahead of Ohio State’s 11.0%.
Texas Leads in Total Money Bet on National Title
While Penn State edges Ohio State in bet volume, Texas leads with 12.2% of the money wagered on the national championship.
