Inside Las Vegas’ Bold Prediction: Who Will Upset the Clash Between No. 1 Texas and No. 3 Ohio State?

Alright, here’s the deal: Week 1 is throwing down a No. 1 vs. No. 3 smackdown as Texas and Ohio State gear up for a clash that’s got everyone buzzing. Texas snagged the top spot in the Associated Press preseason rankings, with the Buckeyes locking in at No. 3 — sandwiched by Penn State’s ambitious No. 2 slot. Ryan Day, fresh off a near championship run, knows this opening game isn’t just a warm-up; it’s facing a “monster,” as he puts it. Now, here’s the kicker — only a rare handful of non-Big Ten foes have toppled his Buckeyes since he stepped into Urban Meyer’s shoes. Will Texas break that streak? Vegas isn’t buying it, tipping Ohio State by 2.5 points for a nail-biter that promises fireworks. So, what do you think — can this “monster” monster the Buckeyes or will Day’s squad show the Longhorns why they’re a favorite? Stay tuned for kickoff at noon ET, August 30th, live on FOX… and yes, it’s gonna be a wild ride. LEARN MORE

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It’s official: the Week 1 game between Texas and Ohio State will be a No. 1 vs. No. 3 matchup.

The Associated Press preseason Top 25 rankings came out on Monday. Texas came in at No. 1, while Ohio State came in at No. 3. Penn State is sandwiched in between them at No. 2, while Clemson and Georgia round out the top five.

Ohio State head coach Ryan Day, who is coming off a national title game appearance, understands how much of a challenge Texas will pose for his squad.

Day referred to Texas as a “monster.”

“I like the edginess of this group. We just need to continue to work and grow and have a great preseason,” Day said earlier this preseason. “And we certainly know in this first game (that) we got a monster, so we have to make sure that every single day, every play, every meeting, is on point going into this first game.”

Jan 1, 2025; Atlanta, GA, USA; Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning (16) warms up before the Peach Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

Brett Davis-Imagn Images.

Day and the Buckeyes have been fairly dominant outside of the conference. They’ve been dominant inside of it, too. But only a handful of teams have taken down Day’s Buckeyes since he took over for Urban Meyer.

The only non-Big Ten teams to beat Ryan Day’s Buckeyes are: Clemson, Alabama, Oregon (before conference realignment), Georgia and Missouri.

Will Texas be next?

According to Las Vegas, the answer is no. Las Vegas is predicting Ohio State to take down Texas in a close game. The Buckeyes are favored over the Longhorns by 2.5 points. Vegas is projecting a win over the No. 1 team in the country for the start of the year for Ryan Day’s program.

It’s going to be a thrilling contest, that’s for sure.

Ohio State and Texas are scheduled to kick off at 12 p.m. E.T. on Saturday, Aug. 30. The game will air live on FOX.