The Ohio State Buckeyes are the second choice in college football odds at 5-1 to win the national championship. The team returns 15 starters from last year’s team including quarterback Terrelle Pryor. The Buckeyes could be favored in college football betting lines in all 12 of their regular season games in 2010.
College football odds favor Ohio State in their opener as they host Marshall on September 2nd. The Buckeyes should have no trouble in their opening game but they should get tested in their second game of the season as they host Miami of Florida.
The biggest key for Ohio State this season will be the play of Pryor. He threw for 2,094 yards and 18 touchdowns last season but he did have 11 interceptions. He also ran for 1,014 yards and scored seven touchdowns. He will have solid targets to throw to in DeVier Posey and Dane Sanzenbacher. Posey caught 60 passes for 828 yards and eight touchdowns while Sanzenbacher caught 36 for 570 yards and six TDs. The Buckeyes do need to find more consistency in the running game this season so they do not have to rely so much on Pryor.
The defense for Ohio State returns six starters. Ohio State almost always had a tough defense and that should be the case again in 2010. The linebackers are excellent again while the secondary is led by cornerback Chimdi Chekwa.
Ohio State was very good against the college football betting lines last season even though they are a high profile team. The Buckeyes were 10-3 against the point spread last season including 4-2 as a home favorite. Ohio State is 65-47-1 ATS with Jim Tressel as head coach.
If the Buckeyes are to get to the national championship game they will have to survive three games that could be a problem. They host Miami on September 11th and the Hurricanes have the talent to play with the Buckeyes. Ohio State will also have two very difficult road games at Wisconsin and at Iowa. The Buckeyes begin the season with four straight home games as they host Marshall, Miami, Ohio and Eastern Michigan. The Buckeyes only play four road games all season, at Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota and Iowa.