Ohio State is riding high following its 14-7 victory over Texas in Week 1. A 70-0 victory last week over Grambling only reinforced how dominant these Buckeyes are. Now the top-ranked team in college football, Ryan Day’s squad has their eyes set on another national title. To do so, a win over Ohio tonight would certainly help. The Bobcats are no pushover, having won the MAC last season. Can they pull off a massive upset on Saturday? Below is my prediction and pick for College Football Week 2’s game between the Ohio Bobcats and the Ohio State Buckeyes.
Ohio State enters this contest as 30.5-point favorites over Ohio, with the over/under set at 51.5 points on DraftKings Sportsbook.
Ohio vs. Ohio State prediction, preview
There’s no denying that this will be an uphill battle for the Bobcats. Although the reigning MAC champs are no pushovers, this is a different level of competition. These two schools have only played each other three times, with the last meeting occurring back in 2011. Since then, the Buckeyes have emerged as a model college football program. This year’s squad is no different. Despite losing a slew of talent to the NFL, Day and his coaching staff have an abundance of play makers.
The biggest question for Ohio State this season is under center, where sophomore Julian Sayin takes over for Will Howard. The Alabama transfer didn’t light the world on fire vs. Texas, throwing for only 126 yards and a touchdown. However, he bounced back with a dominant performance vs. Grambling (306 yards, four TD). It helps that he’s supported on the ground by an elite running back duo. The pair of CJ Donaldson and James Peoples should strike fear across the Big 10. Combined, the two have rushed for 191 yards and two touchdowns on 42 carries (4.5 YPC). Last season, Ohio surrendered the fourth-fewest rushing yards per game to opponents (94.8). In addition, the Bobcats held West Virginia to 250 total yards of offense during Week 2’s 17-10 victory.
In spite of an improved defense, Ohio is an offensively-minded football team. That’s thanks to star quarterback Parker Navarro, currently in his senior year. The gunslinger isn’t the most refined passer, but he’s one of the nation’s top dual-threat QBs. Against West Virginia, he threw three interceptions, but made up for it with 87 yards rushing. Ohio State’s defense is nothing short of nasty, led by elite safety Caleb Downs. However, as seen last year vs. Michigan, a strong running game can give OSU fits.
Ohio vs. Ohio State pick, best bet
When looking over this Buckeyes roster, there aren’t many holes to poke at. If there’s any chance for Ohio to keep things close, it’ll mean keeping their offense on the sidelines. An early Ohio State lead could mean more passes than usual for Navarro. However, last week’s stellar performance against a Big 12 opponent offers some hope entering Saturday. During this inter-state battle, expect the Bobcats to hang around until the second half.
