Two of the biggest early-season tests on the college football board arrive Saturday, with No. 11 Oklahoma heading to Michigan and No.
1 Ohio State visiting No. 4 Texas.
Both matchups come with tight lines, high-profile quarterbacks and enough talent to keep bettors guessing.
The more intriguing number may be in Austin, where Ohio State is getting 1.5 points and the total sits at 49.5. On paper, the game looks nearly even, with Texas carrying the slight edge as the home team. But Ohio State has handled the Longhorns before, winning the last two meetings: 14-7 last season and 28-14 in the Cotton Bowl CFP semifinal in January of 2025.
This one also has the feel of a quarterback showcase. Ohio State’s Julian Sayin and Texas’ Arch Manning both opened the season in style.
Sayin finished 21-of-25 for 320 yards and three touchdowns, while Manning went 20-of-27 for 305 yards, four touchdowns and one interception. They’ll have plenty of help, too.
Jeremiah Smith caught eight passes for 151 yards and two scores for Ohio State, and Devin McCuin added six receptions for 97 yards and a touchdown. For Texas, Ryan Wingo had seven catches for 121 yards, while Cam Coleman totaled three grabs for 70 yards and two touchdowns.
The ground game hasn’t been short on production either. Ohio State got 83 rushing yards and a touchdown apiece from Bo Jackson and Ja’Kobi Jackson, while Texas’ Hollywood Smothers ran for 70 yards and a score last week.
Still, with both defenses expected to be strong and both teams allowing very little in their openers - Texas gave up seven points to Texas State and Ohio State allowed three to Ball State - the over feels like a tough path. The 14-7 result from last year only adds to that skepticism.
That’s why the lean here is Ohio State plus the points and the under 49.5.
The Oklahoma-Michigan matchup has a different feel entirely. Oklahoma is a 4.5-point favorite, and the total is 43.5.
Michigan is trying to bounce back from a messy 13-12 win over Western Michigan, a game that ended with a Hail Mary after an extra second was added back to the clock. The Wolverines dropped out of the AP Top 25 anyway, and the mood around the program has clearly soured.
Ticket prices for this week’s Oklahoma game have also fallen, and Michigan safety Rod Moore didn’t sugarcoat the performance, saying the team played soft last week.
Michigan quarterback Bryce Underwood had a rough opener, finishing 12-of-22 for 170 yards with a touchdown, an interception and a fumble. The offensive line didn’t look connected, either.
The defense was the one part that held up, even though the turnovers left Western Michigan with favorable field position and six points. That unit was stuck on the field for more than 40 minutes, which makes the final result look even shakier.
Oklahoma, meanwhile, is aiming to get back to the College Football Playoff after losing to Alabama in the first round last season. John Mateer’s hand injury from much of last year has healed, and the Sooners looked sharp in a 51-0 win over UTEP last week. They also beat Michigan 24-13 a year ago in Norman, and there’s nothing in Michigan’s opener to suggest a major leap forward.
The spread looks light, and Oklahoma covering feels like the more likely outcome. If Underwood struggles again and stays in the game, this one could drift toward blowout territory.
In Other News...
Urban Meyer Sees A Bigger Michigan QB Problem Than Fans Realize
Urban Meyer spent part of The Triple Option Podcast looking beyond the usual chatter around Michigans quarterback room and zeroing in on what he sees as the real issue. He pointed to the relationship between head coach Kyle Whittingham and Bryce Underwood, but also noted that the young quarterback is still physically underdeveloped, which adds another layer to a situation fans have mostly framed as a simple depth-chart discussion.
Meyer also brought Tommy Carr into the picture as a possible source of competition, and his larger point was clear enough: Whittingham will lean on whoever gives the team the best chance to win. The early schedule only sharpens the pressure, because Meyer suggested a loss to Oklahoma could force significant changes around the team, leaving Michigans quarterback situation even more unsettled than it already looks. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan Has A New Pass Rusher Facing His First Real Test
Dom Nichols wasted little time making his presence felt in his first start, setting the tone for Michigans edge rush in the opener against Western Michigan. The production was there, but so was the broader message from coaches and teammates, who have pointed to Nichols as a player whose physical and mental growth has quickly made him a factor in the defense.
Now the challenge gets bigger. Nichols is already looking ahead to Oklahoma and quarterback John Mateer, and he knows the next test will be a better measure of where his game stands against a skilled, experienced opponent. For Michigan, that makes Nichols one of the more interesting pieces to watch as the matchup gets tighter and the pass rush is asked to hold up under real pressure. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan Hockey Faces Disturbing Lawsuit Over What The Program Allowed
A federal lawsuit filed in Detroit has put a long shadow over Michigan hockey, with 16 former players accusing the program of tolerating ritualized sexual hazing from 1984 through 2001. The complaint says coaches and staff knew about humiliating and abusive initiation practices and allowed them to continue, naming longtime figures such as Red Berenson and Mel Pearson as part of the environment the plaintiffs say enabled the conduct.
The university has not yet formally responded, and the case now pushes beyond the sport itself into the question of how much a high-profile program can be held accountable for what happened inside it. The former players are seeking financial damages, along with prevention training meant to keep similar behavior from being repeated, leaving Michigan to confront a deeply serious allegation that reaches back across nearly two decades of its hockey history. [Read more 🡒]