Ohio State and Texas meet Saturday night in Austin in the second half of a home-and-home. Last year, the Buckeyes won 14-7 in Columbus. National TV coverage is on ABC with College GameDay on site. Both teams opened with blowout wins. Ohio State 56-3 over Ball State and Texas 59-7 over Texas State. So, this is the first real College Football Odds test for either roster.
Texas has the crowd, the night kickoff, and an offense that just looked explosive. Steve Sarkisian will try to speed the game up. And force Ohio State into a track meet the Buckeyes usually refuse to play. Ohio State has the more proven defense and the recent history. They held Texas to seven points a year ago. Correlate that they will try to do it again by winning the line of scrimmage and keeping the Longhorns off schedule.
This is the third meeting in three seasons. Ohio State won the 2024 playoff game and last year’s opener. Texas has not beaten the Buckeyes in this stretch. Hence, the Horns will treat Saturday as a measuring-stick night in front of its own fans.
The game should be physical, loud, and decided by which quarterback handles the moment. In addition to which front controls the trenches. It is one of the biggest nonconference games on the calendar and an early playoff résumé builder for whoever wins.
Ohio State Buckeyes at Texas Longhorns NCAAF Betting Information
| Date and Time: | Saturday, September 12, 2026, 7:30 PM ET. |
|---|---|
| Location: | Memorial Stadium in Austin, TX. |
| TV Coverage: | ABC |
| Team | Spread | Total | ML | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ohio State Buckeyes | +1½ ( -106 ) | 48½ ( -119 ) | +102 |  |
| Texas Longhorns | -1½ ( -114 ) | 48½ ( -105 ) | -123 | |
| ||||
Ohio State visits Texas on Saturday, September 12, 2026, with kickoff at 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time. The Sports Betting matchup is at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin. Finally, it airs nationally on ABC.
Ohio State Buckeyes vs. Texas Longhorns Analysis
The College Football Betting game will be decided up front and by which offense can stay on schedule. Ohio State’s defense is built to take away the run and force the quarterback into tight windows. Last year in Columbus, that formula held Texas to seven points.
The Buckeyes will try the same thing in Austin. To show, OSU must crowd the line, win first down, and make the Longhorns beat them with long, clean.
Texas’s answer is tempo and explosives. Sarkisian wants to get the ball on the edge and create space before Ohio State’s front can set. If the Longhorns can hit a couple of early big plays and force the Buckeyes to chase, the night environment becomes a real problem. But if they stall and the game stays in the 20s, Ohio State’s physicality and recent history in this matchup take over.
Quarterback play will matter more than usual because both teams just faced cupcakes. Ohio State has the more established supporting cast and a defense that travels. By contrast, Texas has the home crowd and the faster offense. Special teams and early turnovers will swing field position in a game that should be tight. Overall, the Buckeyes are the more complete roster right now. The Longhorns have the setting and the motivation of two straight losses to this program. Whoever wins the trenches and protects the ball should win the night.
SBG Free Picks
To conclude, Wise Guys say the side is Ohio State. The Buckeyes have beaten this Texas team twice in two years. Including a 14-7 defensive slog in Columbus last August. Home field and a night kickoff are worth points. But they are not worth laying a number against a roster that has already proven it can win this matchup. Ohio State’s defense travels. One and a half points is a gift.
Finally, the total is the better play. Last year’s game finished with 21 points. Ohio State will try to turn Saturday into another physical, low-scoring grind.
SBG Best Bet: Ohio State Buckeyes and Under the Total