You are correct.
But is it stupidity, or on purpose?
We all know the establishment would just assume have Biden/any Democrat over Trump.
But why would the Trump campaign keep kicking Lucy's football?
You play the hand you’re dealt. Biden doesn’t want to debate but he couldn’t just come out and say so, so he demanded terms he didn’t think Trump would accept. If Trump quibbled on the format, Biden would have backed out and blamed it on Trump for demanding too many conditions. Trump called Biden’s bluff. Trump will gain from doing the debate, even with the deck being stacked against him. Biden has more to lose from the debate than Trump does.
This is all Trump. He said during the 2016 campaign in the Republican primary when it seemed like the plan was to play delegate games, “You got to knock them out”. His thinking is he has to win this and can’t wait for Biden to lose. I agree but Trump better take his own advice snd not assume Biden won’t have his A game. He can win it here. He can also lose it.