However, they might be so likely to make the playoff that it might not be worth the wager.
No, Ohio State doesn’t play a football game this weekend, but that doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice your competitive instincts until they return to the field on Sept. 21 against the Marshall Thundering Herd. Instead, maybe put a little bit of money on the Buckeyes to do some special stuff this season.
Today, we are going to take a look at where OSU sits in some of the most entertaining futures bets with FanDuel Sportsbook, the largest online sportsbook in America.
College Football National Championship Odds
Let’s start with the biggie, the national title! Last week when we looked at these odds from DraftKings, the Buckeyes were at +400, now FanDuel — clearly the more intelligent and plugged-in sportsbook — has the team at +350. That means that if you bet $100 on Ohio State to win the CFP and they do, you will get $350 in profit ($450 in total, including your original bet).
Perhaps the difference in line is just a different opinion between the sportsbooks, added confidence following OSU’s shutout of Western Michigan, or another chaotic week across college football, but the Buckeyes are not the only team to see better odds on FanDuel heading into Week 3.
The Georgia Bulldogs are currently at +270 as of the writing of this article, but last week, DraftKings had them at +280. Not as big of a jump as OSU’s, but a jump nonetheless. Perhaps the most relevant difference between the books and weeks for Big Ten fans is Oregon’s drop from +750 odds to +1100. The Ducks have struggled in their first two games, and Vegas has started to take notice. While they are still in the top five, that position seems tenuous at best. If they don’t look good against the rival Oregon State Beavers in the Civil War this weekend, they could plummet even further.
College Football Playoff Berth Odds
Likely reflecting the underwhelming week that the Big Ten had last Saturday, OSU has shot up to the most likely team to make the College Football Playoff. At -850, in order to win $100 by betting on the Buckeyes to make the CFP field, you would have to wager $850. While I think the chances of Ohio State making the top 12, it might not be worth the risk.
Last week, DraftKings had OSU at -650, but FanDuel (again, the far wiser and more insightful of the big online sportsbooks) clearly understands how good the Buckeyes are. UGA remained steady at -750, meaning that Ohio State simply dumped them, going from second to first place.
You will notice some shifting in the rankings, with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish falling from third place last week to a tie for 16th following their loss to Northern Illinois. Then, the Texas Longhorns jumped from fifth (at -260) to third at -600.
Ohio State Regular Season Win Projection
SMASH THIS ONE! You bet $162 to win $100 if Ohio State goes 12-0 or 11-1. I don’t see how the Buckeyes loses two games this regular season, so I would jump on this one immediately.
Big Ten Championship Odds
First off, can we talk about one of my sports media pet peeves? The conference headquartered in Chicago, the one that Ohio State belongs to, the one that just added four West Coast schools is called the “Big Ten,” not “Big 10.” It is a proper noun, you don’t need to follow any style rules that say that a number 10 or higher should be written in numerals. Big Ten is the name of the conference, there is no excuse to ever reference the league’s name as “Big 10.”
That being said, the Buckeyes are the prohibitive favorite to win the Big TEN.
Heisman Trophy Odds
You love it when you see an Ohio State legend at the top of the Heisman odds, and that’s what we’ve got here with Quinn Ewers leading at +500. When you add Will Howard into the mix at +2000, you have to love where the Buckeyes sit for the most prestigious prize in the sport.
But if you really want to get spicy, true freshman wide receiver Jeremiah Smith is currently coming in at +7500. All you have to do is bet $100 and if J.J. wins the Heisman, you profit $7,500. That’s a pretty darn good bet for a guy who has looked this good through his first two games of collegiate football.
