Every September we get “The biggest game of the year”.
This time around, the star power will match the stakes as No. 1 Ohio State clashes with No. 4 Texas in a showdown with all the elements needed to live up to the hype.
The top-ranked Buckeyes are led by a pair of Heisman Trophy candidates in quarterback Julian Sayin and wide receiver Jeremiah Smith.
Ohio State’s biggest stars are both +1200 to win the Heisman Trophy at FanDuel this morning.
Then there’s the Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning.
Manning is the second choice to win the Heisman at +1000 behind only Miami QB Darian Mensah.
While he hasn’t officially committed to leaving Texas, Manning is already the favourite to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2027 NFL Draft at FanDuel.
The Buckeyes are the favourite to win the FBS Championship at +550.
The Longhorns are the second choice at +750.
Texas is currently a 1.5-point favourite versus Ohio State.
If that number holds, it will mark just the 14th time since the FBS/FCS split that the AP No. 1 ranked team enters a regular season game as an underdog.
The previous 13 went a combined 8-5 in that situation.
The Buckeyes have been the betting favourite at FanDuel in 32 straight games.
Even if that streak comes to an end tonight, nobody would be surprised if Ohio State left Texas with a win.
Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian is 0-4 straight up when his teams have been the favourite against AP top five ranked opponents.
While Texas cruised to a 59-7 win over Texas State last week, its defence posted a 47 per cent success rate.
Now the Longhorns face a much more difficult test against a loaded Buckeyes offence.
Sayin went 21-of-25 for 320 yards and three touchdowns in last week’s 56-3 win over Ball State.
On the second drive of the game, Sayin connected with Smith on a 48-yard touchdown pass to cash the star receiver’s anytime TD prop at -150.
Smith recorded eight catches for 151 yards and two scores before taking a seat in the second half.
Now he gets a chance to boost his Heisman Trophy stock with the entire football world watching tonight.
FanDuel Set Smith’s props at 5.5 receptions and 81.5 receiving yards, while his anytime TD prop is -105.
I wouldn’t be surprised at all if he registered 6+ receptions, 82+ receiving yards, and scored again.
Manning, Oregon’s Dante Moore, and Notre Dame’s CJ Carr are the top three choices to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2027 NFL Draft.
Smith is the fourth choice to be the first overall pick in the 2027 NFL Draft at +1000.
He’s widely considered a lock to go in the top five picks.
Texas will attempt to bracket the 6’4’’, 222-pound receiver, the same way they did in Week 1 last season when Smith was held to six catches for 43 yards.
However, Ohio State offensive coordinator Arthur Smith has repeatedly said he wants to get the football in his hands as much as possible this season, and I expect him to deliver better numbers in tonight’s rematch.
Smith had six or more receptions in four of his first five games last season, including 6 for 43 versus Texas.
FanDuel set Sayin’s passing yards prop at 244.5.
Smith could get to 82 receiving yards even without Sayin going over that number.
I don’t want to put too much stock into what we saw in Week 1, but Smith is coming off another dominant performance, and it’s clear that the coaching staff wants to feed him as many opportunities as possible.
With all eyes on some of the game’s biggest stars, I can’t wait to see what Smith does tonight in Texas.
Hopefully, the biggest game of the year lives up to the hype with a football spectacle under the bright lights at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium.
