Ohio State vs Indiana Betting Preview: Buckeyes Favored to Win National Title

Buckeyes With Third Best NCAA Title Odds Behind Georgia, Alabama

After a heartbreaking, last-second loss in the Peach Bowl, the Ohio State Buckeyes’ national championship pursuit begins anew. The third-ranked Buckeyes kick off the season — not to mention Big Ten play — Saturday against the Indiana Hoosiers.

According to NCAA football against the spreads, Ohio State is a heavy 30-point favorite (-110). Meanwhile, the projected total is 59 (-110). Read on as we break down both teams in our Ohio State vs Indiana betting preview.

Buckeyes logo Ohio State Buckeyes at Indiana Hoosiers Hoosiers logo

Date/Time: Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET
Where: Memorial Stadium; Bloomington, Ind.
Streaming: CBS

Sky’s the Limit for Buckeyes

It’s national title or bust for the Ohio State Buckeyes. Again.

The Buckeyes fell painstakingly short of that goal last season, losing 42-41 to Georgia in the semifinals of the College Football Playoff, according to NCAAF scores. Quarterback C.J. Stroud, wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba and three linemen are off to the NFL, leaving the Buckeyes with massive shoes to fill on the roster. But head coach Ryan Day has proven adept at reloading on the fly.

The Buckeyes, No. 3 in the preseason college football rankings, are still loaded offensively. It starts with wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., the son of NFL Hall of Fame Marvin Harrison. Harrison Jr. caught 77 passes for 1,263 yards and 14 touchdowns in 2022 and has the best Heisman odds of any non-quarterback at +2500. Although he no longer has Stroud, the passing game should remain formidable thanks to Kyle McCord. The Buckeyes also retain plenty of firepower in the backfield in TreVeyon Henderson and Miyan Williams.

Because of that, Ohio State is projected for 10.5 wins and is +180 to win the Big Ten Conference, a smidge behind rival Michigan (+175). The Buckeyes also have the third-best national title odds, trailing only two-time defending champion Georgia (+220) and Alabama (+600). Anything short of cashing in here will be a failure for the Buckeyes.

Ohio State has won 10 or more games in 10 of the last 11 seasons, with the exception of the COVID-shortened 2020 campaign. It’s also made the CFP five times in nine years, with a national title in 2014 under Urban Meyer. This marks the 11th straight time in which the Buckeyes are ranked in the Associated Press Top 25 preseason poll.

Pressure Building for Indiana

Tom Allen’s seat is getting warmer after back-to-back dismal seasons with the Indiana Hoosiers. The Hoosiers went only 4-8 in 2022, including 2-7 in Big Ten play. They allowed a whopping 33.9 points per game during that span, ranking 120th in FBS.

Can they rebound? Or was the Hoosiers’ breakthrough 2020 season (6-2) just a mirage? Oddsmakers aren’t optimistic, projecting the Hoosiers for just 3.5 wins. The Hoosiers are also one of two teams with the longest conference odds (+40000).

Entering his seventh full season at the helm, Allen is counting on a slew of transfers to help turn around Indiana’s fortunes. Quarterback Tayven Jackson (Tennessee) and running back Christian Turner (Wake Forest) are among the most prominent newcomers. Turner, who began his collegiate career at Michigan, rushed for 516 yards (4.0 yards per carry) and totaled eight touchdowns with at Tennessee last season.

The Hoosiers averaged a modest 23.2 points but lost seven straight games in Big Ten play. It culminated with their 13th losing season in 15 years. Keep that in mind when assessing the odds in our Ohio State vs Indiana betting preview.

Handicapping the Game

Ohio State is a surefire national championship contender. Indiana, on the other hand, is anything but. There are several tantalizing matchups in Week 1, but this isn’t one of them. Even at home, the Hoosiers are in an impossible spot here. The Buckeyes are more explosive both offensively and defensively. While McCord is still a bit of an unknown, Harrison Jr. should still have his way with a defense that was that among the country’s worst last season.

With that in mind, the Buckeyes have a pretty good chance to cover the odds in our Ohio State vs Indiana betting preview.

For college football betting news, odds, analysis and more, visit Point Spreads Sports Magazine.


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