Bettor Places $90K Wager on Texas to Upset Ohio State in College Football Playoff

Reed Wallach | 8 Hours Ago

Jan 1, 2025; Atlanta, GA, USA; Texas Longhorns quarterback Quinn Ewers (3) passes the ball against the Arizona State Sun Devils during the first half of the Peach Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images / Brett Davis-Imagn Images

As we move into the later stages of the College Football Playoff, the bets continue to grow in the amount wagered.

Ahead of the highly anticipated Cotton Bowl, one bettor is fading the surging Ohio State Buckeyes, placing $90,000 at BETMGM on Texas to win the game outright as +185 underdogs. 

A bettor at @BetMGM wagered $90,000 on @TexasFootball +185 to beat Ohio State.

Bet would win $166,500 🤑 pic.twitter.com/BfMxHqgZFB

— John Ewing (@johnewing) January 9, 2025

The Longhorns are a six-point underdog heading into the College Football Playoff semifinals with plenty of interest in Ohio State after the team hung 40-plus points on both Tennessee and Oregon in the first two rounds. 

Meanwhile, Texas has played in two of the more competitive matchups in what’s been a CFP dictated by comprehensive victories, leaving many curious if Texas has the firepower to hang with the Buckeyes. 

Below, you’ll find the updated odds and prediction for the Cotton Bowl. 

Ohio State vs. Texas Odds, Spread and Total 

Spread

• Ohio State: -6 (-105)
• Texas: +6 (-115)

Moneyline

• Ohio State: -250
• Texas: +195

Total: 53.5 (Over -105/Under -115)

Odds courtesy of BETMGM

What is Texas’ Path to Upsetting Ohio State?

If you are interested in fading the surging Buckeyes like the aforementioned BETMGM bettor is, here are some ways the Longhorns may look to do so, as noted in our Reed ‘Em and Weep column from this week. 

The Longhorns averaged less than three yards per game against a sturdy Arizona State rush defense, but not one of the same caliber as Ohio State. This game is likely going to fall on [Quarterback Quinn] Ewers arm. 

The way to beat Ohio State is to connect on deep passes. The team is outside the top 40 in explosive pass defense, but the secondary has consistently improved as the season has gone on. The group is tops in the country in success rate and second in yards per play. Opponents can’t drive the field on this unit. 

If you want to bet Ohio State – and trust me it's hard not to after the start to this postseason – you are paying top dollar to back the Buckeyes. While the team is most certainly the highest power rated team in the field, the Longhorns are still an elite outfit and don’t need to play that great to stay within a score. 

If Texas is able to hit some chunk gains through the air by way of the elite play calling from Steve Sarkisian, the team may be able to keep up with the elite offense of Ohio State. 

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Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.



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