No. 1 Ohio State could enter Texas as an underdog in Week 2, flipping last year's script after the Buckeyes beat Arch Manning and the Longhorns 14-7 in Columbus
College football apparently wants to run it back, only this time, everything is backwards.
Ohio State enters the 2026 season ranked No. 1 in the US LBM Coaches Poll, but when the Buckeyes travel to Austin for a Week 2 showdown against No. 4 Texas, the nation’s top-ranked team could walk into Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium as an underdog.
Yes, again. Only now Ohio State is getting the treatment Texas experienced last season.
The Longhorns entered 2025 sitting atop the preseason rankings before traveling to Columbus for Arch Manning’s first game as Texas’ unquestioned starting quarterback.
Despite that No. 1 ranking, Texas was a road underdog against the Buckeyes.
Ohio State made the oddsmakers look pretty smart. The Buckeyes smothered Manning and Texas in a 14-7 victory, immediately putting a dent in the enormous preseason hype surrounding the Longhorns.
Fast-forward one year and the entire setup has flipped.
Ohio State owns the No. 1 ranking. Texas sits at No. 4. The game has moved from the Horseshoe to Austin. And early betting numbers have Steve Sarkisian’s Longhorns favored by roughly 2.5 points.
Welcome to college football’s strangest sequel. There’s also a major difference at quarterback.
Manning won’t be walking into this matchup trying to prove he can handle his first game as QB1.
He now has a full season of starting experience behind him, including all the pressure, criticism and expectations that came with being one of the biggest names in college football.
That could make the rematch considerably different.
Ohio State, meanwhile, won’t get the emotional advantage of playing in front of more than 100,000 fans in Columbus.
This time the Buckeyes will have to deal with a Texas crowd that’s been waiting more than a year for revenge.
And make no mistake ... Texas remembers that 14-7 loss.
A betting line in August doesn’t decide anything, and the number could move considerably before kickoff. Injuries, camp performances and roster developments will all influence where the spread eventually lands.
But the early number creates a fascinating possibility. For the second consecutive season, college football could feature the nation’s No. 1 team entering a marquee showdown as an underdog.
Last year Texas learned rankings don’t guarantee respect. Now Ohio State may get its turn.
