Rutgers vs. No. 3 Ohio State October 1 Betting Preview

Ohio State faces off against Rutgers this Saturday in a Week 5 matchup, with conference and Top-25 implications on the line. This game may not seem very close, but this is a must-win game for both squads.

Led by the Heisman favorite C.J. Stroud, the Buckeyes hold the No. 3 spot in the AP CFB Top 25. This year, Stroud already has 1,200 yards with 16 touchdowns and only 1 interception. The last time Stroud faced off against Rutgers, he had 330 yards and 5 touchdowns.

However, Rutgers is on pace to be a much better team than last year. 2021 Rutgers ended up at 5-8, while this year’s team is already 3-1. This roster is talented, making the odds slightly less skewed.

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Betting Odds

The spread sits at one of the largest margins for Saturday’s games, sitting at -39.5 in favor of Ohio State. With the history between these two teams, it’s not very surprising. Ohio State is 8-0 against Rutgers, and that does not include the fact that the Buckeyes have a home-field advantage.

The over/under sits at 58 points, which is more than reasonable due to the Buckeyes’ track record. However, this team is 2-2 on the over/under, leaving room to wonder. They have beaten the over in both of their last two games but did fail to find it in their first two. 

Comparatively to Rutgers, who also happens to be 2-2 in that regard, they dipped below the under in their first and third game while maintaining the over in the second and fourth. If the pattern continues for both teams, they are in a position to hit the under on Saturday.

The first quarter sees a -11 advantage in the spread from Ohio State, and it immediately ramps up to -26.5 by the half. 

This is interesting for bettors because if Ohio State is up by 27 in the first half, the starters may not see much playing time by the 4th quarter, making the over/under of 58 something to watch.

The first half money line favors the Buckeyes by (-15000), compared to the Rutgers (+3000). However, one of my favorite statistics as a writer is a team’s record as the underdog. 

Ohio State has not been viewed as an underdog a single time this season, and rightfully so. They are 4-0 as the absolute favorite. In contrast, Rutgers is 2-0 as the favorite and 1-1 as the underdog. Statistically speaking, as an underdog, they are 50/50 to come out on top.

The spread has made some fairly dramatic changes in the last couple of days, moving from -41.5 in the Buckeyes’ favor four days ago to the -39.5 now. The two-point drop is slightly unexpected due to the Buckeye’s dominance, but it gives Ohio State bettors something to look forward to.