Stephen A. Smith can’t believe Texas is an underdog to Ohio State: ‘It doesn’t make sense’
By Jacob Moss
Published:
The biggest game in a jam-packed Week 1 slate of college football action is the top-3 matchup between the No. 3-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes and the No. 1-ranked Texas Longhorns.
These two national title favorites will meet for a rematch of the iconic Cotton Bowl clash they engaged in during last season’s College Football Playoff semifinals, a game in which the Buckeyes won en route to their national title victory.
Now, the two Blue Bloods are set to battle at The Shoe, and despite being the higher-ranked team, the Longhorns are actually the betting underdogs heading into the game.
For ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith, the No. 1-ranked team in the country being an underdog to kick off the season doesn’t make a ton of sense, and he explained why on Thursday’s episode of “First Take.”
“I’m trying to figure out how you’re the No. 1 team in the country and you’re coming into a game as the underdog,” Smith said. “You’re either No. 1, or you’re not. It doesn’t make sense to me. You’re the No. 1 team in the nation, and you have the favorite to win the Heisman, but you’re an underdog for the game.”
Love him or hate him, Smith does have an excellent point here. Sure, the Buckeyes are the reigning national champs kicking the season off at home, but logic would seem to dictate that the No. 1 team in the nation should always be a favorite regardless of the circumstances at the beginning of the year.
Vegas doesn’t follow traditional logic, however, and they don’t have any obligation to take the AP Poll into account when setting their lines.
Everybody, we’ll just have to wait and see who ends up coming out of the heavyweight bout looking smarter between the oddsmakers and Stephen A.
