The Ohio State Buckeyes have been a dominant force in the Big Ten, winning six conference titles since 2008 and recording double-digit win tallies each of the last three years. However, despite their success within the conference, they’ve fallen short on the national stage, failing to qualify for the College Football Playoff in each of those seasons. As the 2024 College Football betting season approaches, only the Georgia Bulldogs have shorter odds to capture the national title than Ohio State. Consequently, OSU is currently a heavy -637 favorite to qualify for the 12-team playoff, with a win total set at 10.5 games. Under Ryan Day’s leadership, Ohio State has gone 2-1-1 against its win totals, with last season’s 11 wins narrowly surpassing the 10.5-game mark. Representing the only team in the Big Ten that returns 15 starters from the prior year’s team, along with several key additions from the transfer portal, Ohio State is clearly aiming for a championship run, and oddsmakers' expectations reflect that. Let's take a closer look at how the Buckeyes have prepared for the upcoming campaign to make an informed decision on how to attack their win total odds.
College Football Season Wins Odds
Ohio State Buckeyes 2024-25 Regular Season Win Total Odds
Ohio State Over 10.5 Wins -190
Ohio State Under 10.5 Wins +153
A Case for the Over: Along with returning 15 starters from last year’s 11-win team—six on offense and nine on defense—Ohio State has brought in major reinforcements at quarterback and running back to push for a CFP berth. Fifth-year senior QB Will Howard, who compiled over 5,700 passing yards and 48 touchdowns at Kansas State, joins the Buckeyes with the tools to elevate the offense after it underperformed last season under Kyle McCord (No. 48). RB Quinshon Judkins, who racked up over 3,000 scrimmage yards and 34 touchdowns at Ole Miss, will team up with TreVeyon Henderson to form one of the nation's most formidable backfield duos. Henderson is coming off a season where he tallied 1,155 scrimmage yards and 11 touchdowns. The offensive line has been bolstered through the transfer portal, and the wide receiver corps is brimming with untapped potential. New offensive coordinator Chip Kelly will have the responsibility of turning this talented unit into an offensive powerhouse, likely surpassing the 30.5 points per game (No. 46) the Buckeyes averaged last season. With the experienced defense likely playing with a chip on its shoulder after just shouldering much of the load, the Buckeyes look stacked on both sides of the ball.
A Case for the Under: With a defense this strong and an offense rejuvenated by improved talent and coaching, there’s no excuse for the Buckeyes not to flirt with an undefeated season. Road trips to Oregon and Penn State will certainly be challenging and require full team effort, but this Ohio State squad is capable of emerging unscathed from those matchups. The bigger question is how much they’ll have left in the tank for games against lesser opponents like Nebraska and Purdue back home in "The Shoe." For the 2024-25 Ohio State Buckeyes, it all comes down to focus and motivation. If Ryan Day can be the ultimate motivator, if Chip Kelly can get his players to fully buy into his system, and if Jim Knowles continues to call defensive plays with the same precision he has over the last two seasons, it wouldn’t be surprising if this team goes undefeated and secures the top seed in the newly expanded College Football Playoff.
2024-25 Ohio State Buckeyes Schedule
| DATE |
OPPONENT |
| Aug 31 |
vs. Akron |
| Sep 7 |
vs. Western Michigan |
| Sep 14 |
OFF |
| Sep 21 |
vs. Marshall |
| Sep 28 |
at Michigan State |
| Oct 5 |
vs. Iowa |
| Oct 12 |
at Oregon |
| Oct 19 |
OFF |
| Oct 26 |
vs. Nebraska |
| Nov 2 |
at Penn State |
| Nov 9 |
vs. Purdue |
| Nov 16 |
at Northwestern |
| Nov 23 |
vs. Indiana |
| Nov 30 |
vs. Michigan |
It’s safe to assume the Buckeyes will start the season 1-0, as they’re currently lined a whopping 50-point favorite against Akron in the home opener. They’ll then close out non-conference play against Western Michigan and Marshall, likely heading into their first road game against Michigan State with a 3-0 record. After that, they return home to face the Iowa Hawkeyes, who may put up a fight but probably don’t have the firepower to contend with Ohio State for a full 60 minutes. The following week’s matchup against Oregon in Eugene is a different story, with the Buckeyes currently listed as 2.5-point underdogs. Even if Ohio State falls short in that game, they would need to lose another to go under their win total, with the remaining schedule including Nebraska, @Penn State, Purdue, @Northwestern, Indiana, and Michigan. Ohio State is currently a 3.5-point Happy Valley favorite and a near 10-point chalk to snap a three-game losing streak to Jim Harbaugh-less Michigan. They’ll be clear favorites in the other four games. As mentioned earlier, it all comes down to motivation—this team is that good! With the program missing out on the playoff each of the last three years, it’s tough envisioning the coaches allowing players to let their guard down. Ohio State looks primed to punch a ticket back to the CFP and possibly do so as the No. 1 overall seed!
College Football Win Total Prediction: Ohio State Buckeyes Over 10.5 Wins
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