The opening lines are already out for Ohio State’s two marquee games of the 2025 regular season.
Just hours after the Buckeyes defeated Notre Dame to win the national championship for the 2024 season, Ohio State has opened as a 4.5-point favorite for its 2025 season opener against Texas and as an 8.5-point favorite for its annual rivalry game vs. Michigan on FanDuel Sportsbook.
The Buckeyes will be seeking their second win over the Longhorns in less than eight months when they host Texas at Ohio Stadium on Aug. 30. Ohio State defeated Texas 28-14 in the College Football Playoff semifinal at the Cotton Bowl to reach this season’s national championship game, but both teams will look different for August’s rematch after losing a substantial amount of veterans from their 2024 rosters. It will likely feature a matchup between two of the nation’s most hyped young quarterbacks with Arch Manning entering his first season as Texas’ starting quarterback and Julian Sayin expected to succeed Will Howard as Ohio State’s QB.
The Game, on the other hand, will feature Ohio State trying to end a four-game losing streak against the Wolverines. Despite the Buckeyes’ struggles against their rival in recent seasons, Ohio State is still favored to beat Michigan by more than a touchdown in 2025, even with the game being played in Ann Arbor.
Ohio State is also the projected betting favorite to win the national championship again next season, holding +450 odds to win it all at FanDuel. Texas and Oregon have the second-shortest national championship odds at +650, followed by Georgia at +700.
