The Ohio State football team is the top-ranked team in the country. They have been ever since taking down Texas in the first game of the season. That win showed everyone that they are still loaded with talent after winning the national championship last year, despite losing 15 starters.
This weekend, they play their first road game of the year against Washington. The Huskies are undefeated, but still sit unranked in the polls. They haven't been tested in a real way like the Ohio State Buckeyes have yet. Still, Washington is a good football team.
Relative to the Buckeyes, they shouldn't come close to the overall talent. Yet, Vegas doesn't seem to think that the Huskies are that far away from Ohio State, at least anymore. In fact, Ohio State is about to set some history ahead of their showdown with Washington.
The Ohio State football team sets strange history ahead of game with Washington
For only the second time in the last 20 years, the number one team in the country will be a single-digit favorite over its unranked opponent. The only other time that happened was back in 2012 when Notre Dame was a 4.5-point favorite over USC.
Number 1 team favored by single digits over unranked team past 20 years
— Stuckey (@Stuckey2) September 24, 2025
1. Notre Dame -4.5 at USC (2012)
2. Ohio State -8.5 at Washington (2025)
The line started out as Ohio State being a 13.5-point favorite by oddsmakers. Now, it has fallen all the way to 7.5 for seemingly no reason. Ohio State doesn't have any injuries that we know of, and they are coming off a bye week. It seemingly is setting up perfectly for them.
Vegas oddsmakers must not like the fact that this is Ohio State's first road game of the season. Even so, they deserve more respect than this. Other than the opener against the Longhorns, they haven't won a game by fewer than four touchdowns. Washington is good, but they aren't that good.
The Buckeyes are hoping to make former Washington coach Rick Neuheisel look stupid after he picked the Huskies to win. Other college football analysts might pick the Buckeyes to lose, too. Either way, they are looking to make a statement that they are definitely the best team in the country.
Another blowout win would do that. A win by double-digits would do that. Julian Sayin won't be rattled in his first road test of his career. He'll be ready to go because he's throwing to the best player in college football, Jeremiah Smith. Ohio State's defense is lights out, too.