Last year, BetOnline customers saw Michigan beat up on Ohio State a little, as the Wolverines pounded their way into the College Football Playoff and ended a long period of frustration.
This season, it’s pretty much the same thing on the line, as the winner of the annual showdown will win a ticket to the Big Ten title game, which is the last stepping stone toward a playoff berth.
So who’ll win it this year, as it is staged at the Horseshoe in Columbus? Let’s check out the odds and picks from the best football betting sites like BetOnline.
And let’s not forget about the top-ranked Georgia Bulldogs, who should have an easy time against in-state rival Georgia Tech.
Michigan Wolverines at Ohio State Buckeyes, Noon ET
Big Ten Football Odds: Ohio State -7.5
Total: 57 Points
In all likelihood, the winner of this game goes to the football playoff. Of course, there is the Big Ten championship to worry about. But we don’t think that they will make the “final four.” Last year Michigan outmuscled OSU in a big way, running for 297 yards in a 42-27 victory. That was big for Jim Harbaugh, who had lost his seven meetings with the Buckeyes.
In the quarterback matchup, CJ Stroud has shinier numbers than his counterpart, JJ McCarthy. Stroud is one of the favorites for the Heisman Trophy, with 66.4% completions, 235 TD’s, and four INT’s. McCarthy has been very efficient (67%, 14 TD’s, two INT’s). But guys like Stroud are known to roll up huge numbers against severely outgunned opponents; then they come back down to earth against elite foes.
Michigan stands a chance to have the physical advantage once again. Running back Blake Corum is an absolute beast (1457 yards, 5.9 ypc, 18 TD’s). Ohio State has a formidable ground attack as well. Both clubs have excelled at stopping the run (OSU allowing 3.1 ypc, Michigan 2.8). The Wolverines, yielding just 241.3 yards and 11.7 points per game, aren’t going to let this too far out of reach.
The Play: MICHIGAN +7.5
Georgia Bulldogs at Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, Noon ET
College Football Odds at BetOnline: Georgia -35.5
Total: 49 Points
What do you think is more likely to happen – that Georgia is caught looking ahead to the SEC championship game or that Georgia Tech gets caught reading its press clippings after coming from 17 points behind to beat North Carolina?
We think the latter may be the case, but it’s tough to forecast whether Georgia will take its foot off the pedal sometime in the second half. In last year’s game, the Bulldogs held the Yellow Jackets to 166 yards in a 45-0 shutout. With GT’s interim coach Brent Key shuffling quarterbacks in and out (Jeff Sims is injured), they might be fair game for Kirby Smart’s ferocious stop unit.
The Play: GEORGIA -35.5
Rutgers Scarlet Knights at Maryland Terrapins, Noon ET
Big Ten Football Odds: Maryland -14.5
Total: 49 Points
Both of these teams got off to 3-0 starts and have gone in slightly different directions since. Maryland has only let a couple of games get out of hand. They have suffered one-possession losses to the likes of Michigan and Purdue. The Terps were last seen fighting tooth and nail with Ohio State for a while. So maybe our question is whether that has drained them or not.
Taulia Tagovailoa has completed 68.8% of his passes for the Terrapins; his brother Tua has hit 71% for the Dolphins. Meanwhile, Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano has had to endure the growing pains of Gavion Wimsatt, who he’s installed at quarterback (45.5%, 5.4 yards per attempt). Rutgers has hit the 20-mark just three times against FBS opposition. They’re going to have hard time trading points here.
The Play: MARYLAND -14.5
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