Ohio State is rolling into Texas this Saturday for a Week 2 rematch that’s got everyone locked in, and the betting lines are already going wild. Last year, these two teams delivered a 14-7 classic that ranked as one of the most-bet college games all season. So you KNOW what this weekend means: sportsbooks are bracing for a cash deluge. Joey Feazel, the head of football trading at Caesars Sports, is calling both the Buckeyes and the Longhorns “public darlings” who are gonna pull in “a significant amount of money” and probably stay “top-five” by the end of the year in total bets. Get ready for some fireworks.
The Longhorn Lean and a Wild Total
Both Ohio State and Texas are cruising at 1-0 straight up and against the spread after their Week 1 tune-ups. The Buckeyes absolutely drubbed Ball State 56-3 as massive 50.5-point favorites. Not to be outdone, the Longhorns smoked visiting Texas State 59-7 as 29.5-point favorites. Caesars Sports, though, is giving only a very slight edge to Texas for Saturday’s kickoff. The Longhorns opened as 1.5-point home favorites, and that number hasn’t budged as of Wednesday night.
Feazel says they are seeing “two-way action” right now, but it’s “a little bit more on the Longhorns and a little bit more on the Over.” That total has already climbed from 47.5 to 49.5 points. But don’t expect it to keep skyrocketing; Feazel thinks it might “even go down” if “some sharp action on the Under” comes in. As for the spread, he fully expects the public to jump on Texas late. “I think as we get closer to kickoff, we’re gonna see more Texas action,” he predicts. “The public is gonna come in on Texas late Friday and early Saturday.”
Michigan’s Near-Disaster, Oklahoma’s Dominance
Before that main event, we’ve got another colossal matchup: No. 11 Oklahoma traveling to the Big House to face Michigan. Talk about a tale of two Week 1s! Everyone saw the Wolverines pull off a “great escape,” needing two Hail Marys to barely edge out Western Michigan 13-12. This was a team favored by 27.5 points at home! Oof. On the flip side, Oklahoma blanked UTEP 51-0 as 40.5-point home favorites.
Naturally, Caesars opened Oklahoma as a 5.5-point road favorite. It quickly shot up to -6 or -6.5, but has now settled back at Sooners -5.5 since Monday. Here’s where it gets interesting: Feazel wouldn’t be surprised if that line dips even further to 4.5 points, despite how poorly Michigan played and how good Oklahoma looked. Why? “Sharps tend to see some value in the overreaction,” he noted, pointing out the pre-Week 1 lookahead line was only Oklahoma -1.5. In fact, Michigan +6.5 even drew sharp money! But don’t expect the betting masses to follow the sharps here. “It’s gonna be one-way traffic,” Feazel warns, with the public piling on the Sooners at both -6.5 and -5.5.
So what are we looking at for Saturday? Two massive games with the public and the sharps battling it out on the betting lines. Will Texas hold strong at home against Ohio State, and will the public’s late money push them even further? And can Michigan shake off that Week 1 scare to prove the sharps right, or will Oklahoma stomp them like everyone else expects? This is going to be appointment viewing, folks. Grab your snacks, clear your schedule, and get ready for some college football madness. You know I will be!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Fox Sports.
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