Josh Pate Picks Winner of Ohio State-Texas Game

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Josh Pate Picks Winner of Ohio State-Texas Game

The matchup between No. 1 Ohio State and No. 4 Texas is the most anticipated matchup of the Week 2 college football schedule.

The Buckeyes outlasted the Longhorns 14-7 last year at Ohio Stadium. The loss wound up hurting Texas' momentum early in the season, and they missed the College Football Playoff. Ohio State finished with a 11-2 record, but lost in the Big Ten championship and the CFP quarterfinal.

During "Josh Pate's College Football Show" this week, the host made a prediction for Saturday's game in Austin. He picked Texas to win the rematch in a close one.

"To me, it's as simple as if I think all things are pretty evenly matched, I'll just ride home field," Pate said. "And so I'll go Texas minus one and a half, it's two units for me, can't wait to watch it.

"Yeah, I feel the same way. I think at the end of the day, both these teams are very equal and look great against each other on paper. And that's where home field is the thing that just moves me to the side of Texas.”

While the game is a huge test for both teams early in the season, the outcome might mean more for Texas than Ohio State.

“I think Texas needs to win it," Pate said. "Ohio State would love to win this thing. I think Texas needs to win this game. I think they feel that expectation going into it. 

"All of the pressure even coming off the loss last year, being a three-loss team, trying to argue your way into the playoffs, the potential gap that Sark could be going in. Everybody in Texas is going to feel this moment this Saturday.”

Texas has a grueling nine-game SEC schedule, but what Ohio State has coming up can't be discounted. The Buckeyes will play No. 21 Iowa, No. 5 Indiana, No. 14 USC, and No. 6 Oregon.

A win over Texas on the road would be huge for the CFP resume for Ohio State. A loss could hurt the team's momentum before a tough Big Ten schedule.

 

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