Ohio State vs Purdue Odds: Injuries a Non-Concern for No. 4 Buckeyes
Ohio State Owns Third-Best National Championship Odds (+900)
Injuries aren’t slowing down the Ohio State Buckeyes, who continue to maintain their case as one of college football’s teams to beat. The fourth-ranked Buckeyes are now 5-0 and will visit Big Ten Conference foe Purdue on Saturday.
The betting public is understandably leaning heavily toward the Buckeyes, as they’re a 19-point favorite (-110) and -1200 on the moneyline. Conversely, Purdue is +19 (-110) on the spread and +750 to win outright. The total is 52 (-110 Over, -110 Under).
Will the Buckeyes take care of business on the road? Read on as we dive into the matchup and break down both teams in our Ohio State vs Purdue odds preview.
Ohio State Buckeyes at Purdue Boilermakers 
Date/Time: noon ET
Where: Ross-Ade Stadium; West Lafayette, Ind.
Streaming: Peacock
Betting Trends
The Ohio State Buckeyes are 2-2-1 against the spread this season. They’re also just 4-8 ATS in their last 12 games against Purdue. On top of that, the total has gone Under in four of the Buckeyes’ last five college football games. The Purdue Boilermakers, meanwhile, are 2-6 ATS in their last eight games, including 2-4 this NCAAF season.
Notably, the total has gone Under in eight of the last 12 meetings between these teams. That’s important to remember when assessing the Ohio State vs Purdue odds.
Buckeyes Overcoming Injuries
After the first month-plus, the Ohio State Buckeyes are right where most expected them to be in the NCAAF standings: on the shortlist of national championship contenders. The Buckeyes are 5-0, including 2-0 in the Big Ten Conference, after thumping Maryland 37-17 last Saturday as a 17-point favorite.
Ranked No. 4 in the AP Top 25 poll, the Buckeyes will have a few more chances on the NCAA football schedule to prove they belong. Games against No. 6 Penn State (Oct. 21) and No. 2 Michigan (Nov. 25) will go a long way toward determining their fate.
Oddsmakers are bullish on the Buckeyes, pricing them +220 to win the Big Ten — Michigan is currently a +125 favorite — and +150 to make the College Football Playoff, which they’ve done three of the last four seasons. Only two teams — Georgia at +250 and Michigan at +350 — have shorter national championship odds at the moment than Ohio State (+900).
TreVeyon Henderson, Ohio State’s star running back, is expected to return Saturday after missing last week’s win over Maryland with an undisclosed injury. Henderson, who missed six games last season with a broken bone in his left foot that required surgery, should provide a significant boost on the ground. The junior is averaging 6.7 yards per carry and has five touchdowns through four games.
Another key starter, wide receiver Emeka Egbuka, remains questionable for Saturday. Egbuka left the Maryland game with an apparent knee injury and did not return. The junior has 22 catches for 303 yards and three touchdowns on the season. Be sure to monitor his status when analyzing the Ohio State vs Purdue odds.
Fortunately, Ohio State is positioned to overcome Egbuka’s absence. Marvin Harrison Jr. — the son of NFL Hall of Famer Marvin Harrison — had his third 100-yard receiving game against Maryland, with 163 yards and a touchdown on eight catches. Harrison Jr. is currently +6000 to win the Heisman Trophy, the second-best odds for any non-quarterback.
Still a Work in Progress
The Purdue Boilermakers are coming off a 20-14 loss to Iowa last Saturday that dropped them to 2-4. A 2.5-point underdog, the Boilermakers outgained the Hawkeyes 343-291 but never really got their offense in sync. A pair of interceptions by Texas transfer Hudson Card proved costly.
While the Boilermakers have made a few strides under first-year head coach Ryan Walters, their ceiling remains limited. With Ohio State and Michigan on the schedule two of the next three games, things are likely to get worse before they get better.
The Boilermakers were projected for 5.0 wins. They’re likely to have trouble reaching that total, especially if they can’t produce consistent offense. Purdue ranks toward the bottom half of FBS in several offensive categories, including scoring. It’s averaging 25.7 points per game, 87th in the country. The Boilermakers are also 87th in rushing (141.8 yards per game) and 90th in passing efficiency.
Walters, 37, was a shrewd hire. He was a finalist for the 2022 Broyles Award after guiding Illinois’ top-ranked defense. But clearly, it’ll take time for his impact to truly start showing at Purdue.
Handicapping the Game
Conference road games are tricky. This one is no different. The Buckeyes are banged up. They’re markedly better than Purdue, but Egbuka’s injury could affect an offense that is still rounding into sync behind a young quarterback in Kyle McCord.
That said, it’s hard to fade one of the country’s best teams. This is, after all, Ohio State. Even without Egbuka, the Buckeyes still have Harrison Jr. to spread the field.
Don’t overthink this. Look for the Buckeyes to win comfortably.
For NCAAF scores and odds, betting news and more, visit Point Spreads Sports Magazine.
