This game lost a lot of its appeal when the Wisconsin Badgers were upset last week, losing for the first time this season to a not very good Illinois squad. Maybe Bucky was looking ahead to this monumental Big Ten showdown with No. 3 Ohio State Buckeyes, which is close to the only reason we could find to explain the Badgers meltdown. Or maybe it was a ploy by Paul Chryst to lull OSU into a false sense of security since the Buckeyes have annihilated all challengers by an average margin of 41.7 points. This Week 9 tilt will air on FOX at 12 p.m. ET on Saturday, October 26, from Ohio Stadium.
College Football Odds at BookMaker.eu
Wisconsin Badgers +14
Ohio State Buckeyes -14
Over/Under 50.5
Wisconsin at Ohio State Odds Analysis
Let the overreacting begin. Ohio State opened as a 13-point favorite and the number was quickly wagered up to where it currently stands thanks to nearly 60 of the betting public backing the Buckeyes. And let’s face it last week’s effort by the Badgers was a bad look. OSU hasn’t looked that discombobulated in a series, let alone a game. Except for that 59-0 shellacking the Buckeyes handed Wisconsin in the 2014 Big Ten title game, the last six encounters have all been decided by a single score. Unfortunately for the Badgers they lost them all and went just 1-5 ATS.
Wisconsin Odds
A CFP berth and Big Ten West title were put in jeopardy, and the perfect season was ended by a terrifying loss to Illinois last week. The Badgers were humbled as a 28.5-point favorite on the closing line falling to 5-2 ATS. This is the first time this season the Badgers are getting points and they’ve played much better as a favorite. Wisconsin is just 1-7 SU and 4-4 ATS in the last eight games they played as double-digit dog. Three of those eight games just happened to be against Ohio State where Bucky went 0-3 SU and 1-2 ATS. The Badgers covered the 10.5-point line in a 30-23 defeat during the 2016 season.
Ohio State Odds
The Badgers may have been taking a peek ahead on the schedule but Ohio State certainly wasn’t. The Buckeyes got primed for this matchup by waxing Northwestern, 52-3, covering the 26.5-point line for their sixth straight ATS win. It was also the fifth time in seven games OSU won by at least 40 points. The Buckeyes also have a nice streak going against this week’s opponent. They’ve won the last six meetings going 5-1 ATS, and they’ve taken nine of the last 10.
Key Stats
You have to wonder which side, if any, is going to concede in this matchup. Despite their late collapse in the loss to Illinois when they blew a 20-7 third quarter lead, the Badgers’ defense has been formidable. It’s hard to pitch a shutout in this game with all the action geared to offense and scoring points, it’s impressive when a team has two clean sheets. But FOUR! Come on. The 24 points allowed to the Illini was just four fewer than the Badgers had given up in their first six games combined. So it’s no surprise they rank No. 1 nationally in total yards, rushing yards, passing yards, and points allowed this season.
Can Justin Fields and the Buckeyes offense crack the code in this one? OSU topped the 40-point mark in six of its seven games, twice hit half a hundy, and dropped 76 on Miami, Ohio. That other game was just a 34-pointer in a pounding of Michigan State. Fields, JK Dobbins and the rest of the OSU offense will be hard pressed to reach its season average of 49.7, but they certainly will do their best.
Last Meeting
The teams last played in 2017 to determine the Big Ten champion. And like the five games before that it was Ohio State coming out victorious. Wisconsin entered that game undefeated at 12-0, but never led and suffered a 27-21 setback. Bucky was spotted 3.5-points on the college football betting line and failed to cover. I’ll bet Jonathan Taylor remembers that game. The Big Ten rushing leader that season was held to 41 yards on 15 carries. I’m also going to wager that JK Dobbins remembers that one since he ripped off 174 yards on just 17 carries.
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