Who are Ohio State Football Rivalries?

Ohio State University has a rich football history and is known for its intense rivalries, which are among the most storied in college football. Here are some of the most notable Ohio State football rivalries:

Michigan Wolverines (The Game)

This is perhaps the most famous rivalry in college football, by the way, we all call it: "The Game".

Ohio State and Michigan have been fierce competitors for over a century, with the winner often claiming the Big Ten title and sometimes a spot in the College Football Playoff.

The rivalry is especially heated, and it has produced some of the most memorable moments in college football history.

Penn State Nittany Lions

Ohio State’s rivalry with Penn State just gets stronger and stronger over the decades, especially since both teams have consistently been top contenders in the Big Ten.

Their matchups are often critical for Big Ten standings, so these games are a must in your betting calendar each year.

Michigan State Spartans

Michigan State and Ohio State have a longstanding rivalry that has gained prominence with both teams being competitive in the Big Ten.

Their contests often have significant implications for the conference championship race.

Indiana Hoosiers

While not as high-profile as other rivalries, Ohio State’s games against Indiana are historically competitive.

The rivalry, particularly in the 1980s and 1990s, saw Indiana occasionally pull off surprising upsets, giving it a sense of unpredictability.

Wisconsin Badgers

Wisconsin and Ohio State have had several nasty battles, particularly in the Big Ten Championship games.

Both teams have a strong football tradition, and games between the two often feature hard-fought, physical play.

Iowa Hawkeyes

Ohio State’s rivalry with Iowa has seen some memorable moments, especially when the Hawkeyes have upset Ohio State or just been a tough challenge in the Big Ten standings.

The rivalry is marked by hard-hitting, grind-it-out games.

Ohio State Rivals Forever

These rivalries are essential to Ohio State’s football culture and for your college bets through out the season

Whether it’s the history-rich Michigan rivalry or the more recent competitiveness with Penn State and Wisconsin, each of these games adds a unique chapter to Ohio State’s football legacy.

Previous Betting News

Now that the calendar has flipped over into the month of July, it really is time to start seriously thinking about the start of the college football season.

It will be here before we know it, so it helps us to be prepared for what is to come.

My Analysis

This is, in some ways, uncharted territory, as the conferences all look different, plus we have a 12-team playoff coming our way this season.

It’s all very exciting, but which teams will we see benefit from the new set-up? It’s tough to really know for sure until the action starts.

We see what each team has to offer, but we have some definite ideas.

The Ohio State Buckeyes should be in the playoff mix, but how far can they go? Let’s take a look at their odds for this season.

Regular Season, Conference, and Win Total

Over the past 3 seasons, the Buckeyes have fallen victim to their biggest rivals, the Michigan Wolverines, losing 3 times and failing to make the postseason.

The Buckeyes fans have much higher expectations than what has been delivered, so the coach Ryan Day is under some pressure this season to set things right.

The bookies certainly seem to believe that Ohio State will be in the mix, as they have their win total for 2024 set at 10 ½.

In terms of squad depth, the only team that might be better than the Buckeyes is the Georgia Bulldogs.

Ohio State has most of their starters returning this season, although losing Marvin Harrison Jr. to the NFL is going to be a loss.

They should be able to fill that hole, but the biggest question mark for this team is at the quarterback position.

The belief at the moment is that former Kansas State QB, Will Howard, will be the starter.

He should be good enough to handle the job, but there are some who believe that this could be the Achilles heel for the Buckeyes.

Ohio State Defense

Defensively, the Buckeyes should be sound, so no real concerns there.

As it stands at the moment, the Ohio State Buckeyes are favorites to win the Big Ten at odds of +150.

They will be hard pushed by the Oregon Ducks, who are new to the conference this season, and while Jim Harbaugh may now be off to the NFL.

I still would not totally count out the Michigan Wolverines.

Penn State is another team worth keeping an eye on this season, but the Buckeyes should still be good enough to get into the 12-team playoffs.

Ohio State Buckeyes Postseason Odds

So, if we assume that the Ohio State Buckeyes make it to the postseason, what would their chances be? That is a tough question to answer at this point.

As that is likely to depend on where they finish in the conference standings.

I do believe that they will win the Big Ten and be in as one of the top 4 teams in the national rankings.

The bookies have them in as the second favorite behind the Georgia Bulldogs at odds of +420.

While I think they are definitely in the conversation, I am not totally sold on their QB, so I don’t believe they will win the championship this season.

The past two college football seasons, Ohio State has finished 11-2 and played in a major bowl game.

The problem is that the Buckeyes didn’t even win their own Big Ten division in either season – rival Michigan did thanks to an upset over Ohio State.

Thus, some believe that Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day could be on the hot seat entering 2023 should OSU lose to rival U-M again.

Let’s break down the Buckeyes.

Ohio State Buckeyes 2023 Football Season Betting Guide

Odds to win national title: +800

Odds to make playoff: Yes -115, No -115

Odds to win Big Ten: +160

Over/under regular-season wins: 10.5

The last time we saw the Buckeyes, they were able to sneak into last season’s playoff thanks to some help elsewhere and OSU nearly upset No. 1 Georgia in the Peach Bowl semifinal game, losing 42-41. Ohio State led 21-7 in the first half and 38-24 in the fourth quarter but couldn’t hold on. After UGA took the lead in the final seconds, Noah Ruggles’ 50-yard field goal attempt for Ohio State with three seconds remaining sailed wide left.

That was the final college game for star QB CJ Stroud, the No. 2 overall pick in the NFL Draft by Houston.

Stroud led OSU to a 21-4 record as a starter and was the only Buckeyes QB to ever be a Heisman Trophy finalist twice and then became the highest-drafted Ohio State QB in history.

Devin Brown and Kyle McCord will battle to replace Stroud at quarterback, but the winner can throw to first-team All-American Marvin Harrison Jr. He’s considered one of the best WR prospects in years. The 6-foot-4, 205-pound Harrison had a breakout 2022 season, especially after Biletnikoff Award favorite Jaxon Smith-Njigba sustained a hamstring injury in the opener and never fully recovered. Harrison had 77 receptions for 1,263 yards and 14 touchdowns, ranking fourth in team history in receptions and yards and second in touchdowns. He became Ohio State’s first unanimous first-team All-America wide receiver and won the Big Ten’s Richter-Howard Receiver of the Year award.

Over the course of two seasons, in relief appearances, McCord threw for 606 yards, three touchdowns, two interceptions and a 70.7% completion percentage.

Brown has no collegiate experience.

Late in the spring session, Brown suffered a minor finger injury on his throwing hand, taking away a spring game contest between Brown and McCord. Coming out of spring, neither had done enough to be named a starter, something QBs coach Corey Dennis is OK with.

“I know everybody wants to talk about the quarterback battle or competition, but we’re still in the process of worrying about yourself and getting better,” Dennis said. “And I think that when you worry about yourself and you maximize who you can become, then the other stuff kind of takes care of itself.”

McCord, alternating quarterback series with Oregon State transfer Tristan Gebbia, was 11-for-22 for 114 yards in the first half and 18-for-34 for 184 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions in the spring game.

Gebbia finished 14-for-24 for 127 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions.

Each of the last three Buckeye starting QBs has been a Heisman Trophy finalist, including Stroud going in both years he was a starter. Dwayne Haskins was one in his lone season starting for the Scarlet and Gray in 2018 and Justin Fields went to New York in 2019 and likely would have in 2020 if not for the COVID-19 pandemic shortened season. McCord is currently +1800 to win the Heisman.

OSU is loaded in the backfield as well with the two-headed monster of Miyan Williams and TreVeyon Henderson. The No. 1 running back recruit in the 2021 class, Henderson broke a bone in his foot in the third game of the 2022 season against Toledo and tried to play through it.

He was limited to eight appearances and said he tweaked the injury in every game he played.

As a freshman, Henderson provided a big-play spark on the ground, with 13 rushes of at least 20 yards and an average of 6.8 yards per carry. Henderson had four such runs in 2022 with an average of 5.3 per rush. Williams had a team-best 825 yards and 14 TDs on the ground last year. He dealt with his own injuries late in the year. Coach Ryan Day saw his two top ball carriers on the field and fully healthy at the same time in just four of 13 games. The pair combined to log a combined 20+ carries just five teams over the entire season and only once in the final six contests.

The Buckeyes open the season on Sept. 2 at Indiana currently as 27.5-point favorites. Last year, OSU beat the Hoosiers 56-14. Stroud threw for 297 yards on 17-of-28 efficiency and five touchdowns. The Buckeyes finished with 662 yards of total offense on the day, which included 340 on the ground.

Harrison Jr. caught seven balls for 135 yards and one score.

Ohio State has won 27 straight games in the series. Ohio State has averaged 50.8 points per game against Indiana under Day.

The only realistic chances of OSU losing in the 2023 regular season are Sept. 23 at Notre Dame, Oct. 28 at Wisconsin and Nov. 25 at Michigan. OSU opened the 2022 season at home vs. the Irish and won 21-10. Stroud had two TD passes. The Buckeyes blasted Wisconsin 52-21 in Columbus behind five Stroud TD passes. However, the Nuts were upset again by Michigan, 45-23. It’s the first time OSU has a two-game skid in the series in 22 years.

The biggest change on the coaching staff was wide receivers coach and passing game coordinator Brian Hartline getting promoted to offensive coordinator, which happened not long after the playoff loss to Georgia. Hartline replaced Kevin Wilson, who left to take the head-coaching job at Tulsa. The Buckeyes’ offense has led the Big Ten in total offense and it has ranked in the Top 10 nationally every year Hartline has been on staff — finishing ninth nationally (490.7 yards per game) in 2022.

Expert Predictions

Win Big Ten title, over 10.5 victories, Yes make playoff

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