Ohio vs San Diego State Odds: Bobcats Among MAC Favorites
Quarterbacks Carry big Potential for Bobcats
The college football season kicks off Saturday, with a slew of intriguing Week 0 matchups. Among them: Ohio at San Diego State.
Both the Bobcats and Aztecs were bowl teams last season, and based on expectations, 2023-24 should be no different. Who will have the edge? San Diego State is a 2.5-point favorite (-110) and -135 to win outright, with Ohio priced +115. The projected total is 49 (-110).
Read on as we break down both teams in our Ohio vs San Diego State odds preview.
Ohio Bobcats at San Diego State Aztecs 
Day/Time:
Location: Snapdragon Stadium; San Diego
Streaming: FS1
Big Expectations for Bobcats
The Ohio Bobcats should be formidable again, but their Mid-American Conference title hopes will rest largely on the health of quarterback Kurtis Rourke. Rourke tore his ACL late in the 2022 season, causing him to miss the MAC Championship against Toledo, a 17-7 loss. Prior to the injury, Rourke had established himself as the conference’s best quarterback, passing for 2,725 yards and 21 touchdowns while collecting MAC Offensive Player of the Year honors.
Also back is fellow graduate student CJ Harris, who filled in at quarterback during Rourke’s absence. Harris led the Bobcats to a 30-27 overtime victory over Wyoming in the Arizona Bowl, the program’s fourth straight bowl win but the first since 2019. The Bobcats finished 10-4 (7-1 in MAC play), matching their most wins in 11 seasons.
Ohio is obviously in good hands, which is why head coach Tim Albin’s team is +280 to win the MAC. Only defending champion Toledo (+170) has better odds at the moment, according to NCAAF spreads. Four other schools are priced 10/1 or better.
The Bobcats should be deep at the skill positions too, led by running back Sieh Bangura, a 1,000-yard rusher in 2022, and wide receiver Sam Wiglusz. That should be enough to keep their offense humming. That said, for the Bobcats to cash in on expectations — they’re projected for 7.5 wins, with the Over -125 — fixing the defense is a priority. Ohio ranked 109th in FBS in total defense last NCAAF season, as opponents averaged 426.9 yards per game. That figure is simply unsustainable. Keep that in mind when assessing the Ohio vs San Diego State odds.
Improvement on Offense Needed for SDSU
Jalen Maydens return at quarterback has generated plenty of optimism around the San Diego State Aztecs. Mayden passed for 2,030 yards while rushing for 231, and now the senior dual-threat will get to work with a new coordinator in Ryan Lindley. Lindley, the school’s all-time leading passer, joined Brady Hoke’s coaching staff last October and helped spark a late-season surge on offense. Still, the Aztecs averaged only 324.9 yards per game (114th in FBS), so more improvement is certainly needed. That’s important to remember when analyzing the Ohio vs San Diego State odds.
The Aztecs are projected for 7.0 wins, matching their total from 2022. Returning to a bowl game seems attainable — the Aztecs lost the Hawaii Bowl to Middle Tennessee, 25-23 — but they’ll need to hold their own in Mountain West Conference play. Fortunately, they’ll get both defending champion Boise State (+180) and Fresno State (+380), the conference’s two favorites, at home. San Diego State is fourth on the conference oddsboard at +700, behind Air Force (+400).
The strength of this team should again rest on defense. San Diego State held opponents to an average of only 322.7 yards last season, 16th-fewest in the country. That unit should be even more formidable with New Mexico transfer Cody Moon at linebacker, though Patrick McMorris (transferred to California) is a big loss in the secondary. If the Aztecs can overcome his loss, they’ll be in the mix again atop the Mountain West. If not? The Aztecs could be in trouble.
Handicapping the Game
Ohio and San Diego State are both shaping up to be among the better Group of Five programs in the country. It’s a tantalizing season-opening matchup with potentially long-term implications. The Aztecs have a challenging non-conference slate with games against UCLA (Sept. 9) and Oregon State (Sept. 16), and a victory here would go a long way toward bolstering their resume.
The Aztecs were 5-2 at home last season, and they figure to carry a slight edge in this one because of that very circumstance. Ohio is poised to contend again in the MAC, but opening the season on the West Coast is a tough assignment, no matter the opponent. In this case, it happens to be a pretty good one.
With that in mind, expect the NCAAF spread to favor San Diego State.
For NCAAF best bets, odds. analysis and more, visit Point Spreads Sports Magazine.
