Ohio State opened as a 23.5-point betting favorite for its regular season finale against Michigan on FanDuel Sportsbook. It’s the largest spread in the series since 1978, according to ESPN Stats and Info.
The Buckeyes were favored by 30 points in 2020 but the game was canceled due to COVID-19. The previous high for a game that actually occurred was in 2014 when Ohio State was a 21-point favorite on sports betting apps. The Buckeyes won, but did not cover, 42-28.
That spread certainly goes against recent history. Michigan is riding a three-game winning streak in its series against the Buckeyes, the longest such streak for the Wolverines since 1995-97. In that span, Michigan won three straight Big Ten titles, made three College Football Playoff appearances and last year went 15-0, capturing its first national championship since the BCS era began.
The 2024 Wolverines are not remotely the same team. Michigan lost coach Jim Harbaugh — and more than 15 impact starters — to the NFL. Michigan is currently 5-5 in its first year under new coach Sherrone Moore, with four losses in its last five games.
Ohio State, meanwhile, is in great shape to return to the College Football Playoff after missing out in 2023. The 9-1 Buckeyes landed at No. 2 in the latest set of CFP rankings. Their only loss this season came on the road against top-ranked Oregon.
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