The coverless streak continues for the Ohio State Buckeyes. They've failed to cover five straight games, and they’ve been contested quite a bit to start off the year. That gives bettors a lot of ammo for wagering against them when the Penn State Nittany Lions come to town Saturday night.
ODDS ANALYSIS
After opening up at -18 over the weekend, Ohio State took a bit of a tumble down as low as -16 before rebounding up to -17 where we sit as of Wednesday afternoon.
The total has come up as well, which isn't surprising considering the fact that the Ohio State defense has looked mortal thus far this year. The number to beat is set at 48.5 after opening at 47.
KEY MISMATCH
Christian Hackenberg doesn't have the greatest wheels for a quarterback, especially in comparison to some of the other quarterbacks Ohio State has been playing against of late, but that doesn't mean he can't be effective as a thrower and a runner against Ohio State.
Joey Bosa and this defense have really been nowhere to be found these last two games against Indiana and Maryland, the latter of which came in a game in which Randy Edsall was a sitting duck before he ever got on the bus.
Hackenberg didn't get out of the pocket much in this game last year, but he did go 31-of-49 for 224 yards, and many forget that he nearly generated an upset in overtime, a game that, had it gone the other way, would have ultimately knocked the eventual champs out of the College Football Playoff.
KEY STAT
19 – The number of sacks the Buckeyes have this season, tying them for No. 7 in the country. Nineteen is also the number of times Hackenberg has been sacked in 2015, proof that there will surely be times that the senior ends up on his back in this one.
BETTING ANGLE
The common thread in these games in recent years has been the over. Granted, last season's game in Happy Valley wouldn't have gone past the total if not for overtime, but they all count as winners. These last three games all gone past the total, and they've averaged 63.3 points per game.
ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
We like the over again in this game, but we also aren't going to get off of the bandwagon of fading these Buckeyes. They're getting the best shot of every team in America they face, and they're falling incredibly flat on one side of the ball or the other in seemingly every game they play.
Hackenberg is good enough to pull off this upset. He did a better job managing a game against Indiana than Cardale Jones did, and we hate the fact that Urban Meyer is still letting all of his men play quarterback this year instead of just settling on one man to do the job.
We're not saying this game is going to end in an upset for sure, but it's entirely possible. Don't say we didn't warn you.
Penn State 31, Ohio State 27
The college football lines for this Saturday game surfaced at BookMaker before anywhere else on the internet. The Ohio State Buckeyes opened as favorites at -18 while the total debuted at 47. Gamble on the game between every commercial break with BookMaker's live betting feature. Along with an adjusted in-game moneyline, you can wager on what will happen on the next play or how many points will be scored in the next quarter. Live betting is the most exciting way to play!
BookMaker offers play-by-play betting odds for live sporting events every day! The user-friendly wagering interface on your smartphone provides an easy way to place bets on the go. Mobile betting lines are updated by the minute so click here to start gambling on thrilling live action at BookMaker Sportsbook! The matchup between the Penn State Nittany Lions and the Ohio State Buckeyes is set for Saturday, October 17, 2015 at 8:00 p.m. ET at Ohio Stadium. The contest will be broadcast on ABC.
