The Coliseum is sold out, light drizzle is in the forecast, and Mission Viejo native Luke Fahey is expected to make a first career start in a homecoming nobody in Columbus planned for. I'm taking the points. Even with Julian Sayin, Ohio State's road games were tight: a 24-23 loss at Texas, 31-14 at Iowa, 19-15 at Indiana. That's +20 combined over three games, an average just under this spread. Now the Buckeyes lay 6.5 with a freshman whose career line is 9-of-13 for 203 yards, 2 TD and 2 INT, almost all of it in mop-up time. Ryan Day still hasn't named a starter and calls it "definitely possible" both quarterbacks play. That's not a vote of confidence. The offense was already slipping in Sayin's last game: 19 points at Indiana, 4 sacks for -44 yards, two picks, 6-of-15 on third down. Since then, Ja'Kobi Jackson has been ruled out, Brandon Inniss is questionable and Austin Siereveld may not last a full game. Ohio State's defense is elite, with 94 points allowed in seven games, and that's exactly why I want points. In a low-scoring game, 6.5 is a lot. USC's 7-point night at Wisconsin was partly misfortune: one touchdown on three red-zone trips, a blocked 44-yard field goal and a missed 58. Jayden Maiava threw for 301 yards and 3 TD at Penn State two weeks earlier. The spot also leans USC: 4-1 at home, a sellout, a bye next week, and Lincoln Riley on the hot seat. Ohio State hosts Oregon in seven days. The risks are real. USC's line is banged up with Kilian O'Connor and Hayden Treter out, and Wisconsin held the Trojans to -18 rushing yards, five sacks included. Results against common opponents favor Ohio State, and the Buckeyes had 13 days to prepare. Jeremiah Smith, with 52 catches, 984 yards and 12 TD, can take over this game if Fahey simply delivers the ball. But laying 6.5 on the road behind a first-time starter asks too much. This is a measured play, not a max bet.
The Coliseum is sold out, light drizzle is in the forecast, and Mission Viejo native Luke Fahey is expected to make a first career start in a homecoming nobody in Columbus planned for. I'm taking the points.
Even with Julian Sayin, Ohio State's road games were tight: a 24-23 loss at Texas, 31-14 at Iowa, 19-15 at Indiana. That's +20 combined over three games, an average just under this spread. Now the Buckeyes lay 6.5 with a freshman whose career line is 9-of-13 for 203 yards, 2 TD and 2 INT, almost all of it in mop-up time. Ryan Day still hasn't named a starter and calls it "definitely possible" both quarterbacks play. That's not a vote of confidence.
The offense was already slipping in Sayin's last game: 19 points at Indiana, 4 sacks for -44 yards, two picks, 6-of-15 on third down. Since then, Ja'Kobi Jackson has been ruled out, Brandon Inniss is questionable and Austin Siereveld may not last a full game.
Ohio State's defense is elite, with 94 points allowed in seven games, and that's exactly why I want points. In a low-scoring game, 6.5 is a lot. USC's 7-point night at Wisconsin was partly misfortune: one touchdown on three red-zone trips, a blocked 44-yard field goal and a missed 58. Jayden Maiava threw for 301 yards and 3 TD at Penn State two weeks earlier.
The spot also leans USC: 4-1 at home, a sellout, a bye next week, and Lincoln Riley on the hot seat. Ohio State hosts Oregon in seven days.
The risks are real. USC's line is banged up with Kilian O'Connor and Hayden Treter out, and Wisconsin held the Trojans to -18 rushing yards, five sacks included. Results against common opponents favor Ohio State, and the Buckeyes had 13 days to prepare. Jeremiah Smith, with 52 catches, 984 yards and 12 TD, can take over this game if Fahey simply delivers the ball.
But laying 6.5 on the road behind a first-time starter asks too much. This is a measured play, not a max bet.
USC +6.5