Washington is hosting Ohio State on Saturday afternoon of Week 5. The game will take place at 3:30 p.m. ET in Seattle, Washington.
The Buckeyes are 8.5-point road favorites in this game on DraftKings Sportsbook, with the total set at O/U 51.5 points. This is a preview, prediction and pick for this Ohio State vs. Washington Big Ten conference matchup.
Ohio State vs. Washington prediction, preview
Ohio State Preview
The Buckeyes are hoping to defend their national title this season. Despite losing a bunch of talent to the NFL, Ohio State is reloaded for another run at the College Football Playoff. They started their season with a massive matchup against Texas and met the challenge, getting that signature win. They rolled through two easy non-conference matchups, then had a bye week ahead of this matchup. This is a tough first Big Ten game of the season, on the road against a feisty Washington team. Ohio State is loaded with talent on defense, and they have the best receiving corps in the country. The biggest thing to watch in this game is how Julian Sayin handles his first Big Ten road test.
Washington Preview
In year two under Jedd Fisch, there is a lot of promise around Washington. The program had picked up a lot of momentum under Kalen DeBoer. They had a Heisman runner-up, Michael Penix Jr., and made the national title game in 2023. However, in one offseason, they lost DeBoer, Penix, Ryan Grubb, Rome Odunze, Jalen McMillan, Ja’Lynn Polk and most of the core of their program. They also made the massive shift from the Pac-12 to the Big Ten. Washington hired Fisch late in that offseason, and he had minimal time to recruit and prepare his team for its Big Ten season. Despite that, Washington made a bowl game and showed great potential. The Huskies made a big effort to improve heading into Fisch’s second season, and it has shown so far. They haven’t faced a real test, but their offense looks like the real deal, led by Demond Williams Jr. at quarterback.
Ohio State vs. Washington pick, best bet
My best bet for this game is for Washington to cover the 8.5-point spread. The Huskies have one of the most underrated home atmospheres in the country. Hosting the defending national champions, the Seattle crowd will be out of control on Saturday. Williams Jr. is a test for any defense, too. Along with Jonah Coleman, they make for a dangerous rushing attack, ranking first in the country in offensive EPA/rush. However, if defenses load up the box to stop the run, Williams will beat them over the top. That is why Washington ranks second in the country in offensive EPA/pass. The Huskies rank second in the country in points per game and should be able to score, even against the tough Ohio State defense. Meanwhile, Ohio State might take a conservative offensive approach to make things easy on Sayin. The Huskies should be able to keep this game within a score to cover the spread.
