Ohio State Hosts Texas in College Football Showdown

COLUMBUS, Ohio — College football fans are gearing up for an exciting Week 1 beginning with a high-profile matchup between the defending national champion Ohio State Buckeyes and the preseason No. 1 Texas Longhorns on Saturday, August 30, 2025.

Ranked No. 3, Ohio State enters the game as a favorite at home, albeit by less than a field goal. This indicates a tight competition between the two powerhouse programs. Quarterback Arch Manning, the Heisman Trophy favorite, will face a significant challenge in his first road start, following two home appearances last season.

Ohio State’s championship-winning team from the previous year has undergone changes, losing 14 drafted players, including starting quarterback Will Howard. Julian Sayin takes over as the new starter, aided by standout wide receiver Jeremiah Smith.

The Week 1 college football slate kicks off on Thursday, featuring 17 games. Notable matchups include No. 25 Boise State traveling to South Florida, and Nebraska facing Cincinnati at Kansas City’s Arrowhead Stadium, with both the Broncos and Huskers favored by around a touchdown.

On Friday night, 11 more games are on the schedule. Auburn is a slight favorite over Baylor, while Georgia Tech is favored in a game against Colorado.

Saturday’s highlight includes No. 8 Alabama visiting Florida State, as the Texas-Ohio State game progresses. Florida State looks to rebound from a disappointing 2-10 season, but Alabama enters as the favorite by two touchdowns.

The primetime matchup features No. 9 LSU at No. 4 Clemson, both teams returning experienced quarterbacks. Clemson is narrowly favored at home.

The college football action continues into Sunday and Monday, with Virginia Tech facing No. 13 South Carolina and a historic rivalry matchup between No. 6 Notre Dame and No. 10 Miami. The Fighting Irish come in favored by a few points in what is expected to be a highly competitive game.

Lastly, Monday night’s game sees TCU visiting North Carolina for Bill Belichick’s debut as head coach of the Tar Heels. While neither team is ranked, curiosity surrounding Belichick’s new role is expected to draw a large audience, with TCU favored on the road.