The first week of college football brought a lot of fun and profit for the FTN betting community. Between covering spreads, hitting money lines and totals, and finding DFS success, Week 1 was a nice start to the season. It’s time to use what we learned to move forward.
The Ohio State Buckeyes host the Oregon Ducks in a key top-10 matchup in Week 2. Both Ohio State and Oregon struggled throughout their first games of the year but prevailed at the end. A warm-up game may have been all that either team needed to unlock their potential.
Ohio State enters the heavy favorite at home against the tough-nosed Ducks. We’ll look at each team’s profile entering the game and project the best values throughout the betting world.
We have you covered from every angle of this matchup. Let’s dig in.
Oregon Ducks vs. Ohio State Buckeyes Week 2 odds
Here is a look at the Week 2 betting odds between Oregon and Ohio State (odds courtesy DraftKings Sportsbook).
- Ohio State -14 (-110)
- Over/Under: 64 (-110)
- Moneyline: Ohio State -630, Oregon +450
Oregon Ducks vs. Ohio State Buckeyes game preview
Here’s a look at the preview between two college football playoff hopefuls in Oregon and Ohio State for Week 2.
Ohio State offense vs. Oregon defense
The Buckeyes started slow against Minnesota but quickly revved into gear in the second-half. Quarterback C.J. Stroud threw four touchdown passes in five attempts at one point, allowing the Buckeyes to pull away from a tough foe. The come-from-behind win was spurred by an explosive offense that overcame issues with consistency.
None of this was surprising, though. The Buckeyes have a slew of young new contributors on offense. Stroud needed a half to get his composure and accuracy. Miyan Williams ran all over the Gophers and likely claimed the starting job with his nine rushes for 125 yards.
The receiving duo of Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson met the hype with their incredible performance. The speedsters combined for 197 yards and three scores on nine receptions. The playmaking on this unit is only matched by Alabama across the country.
Oregon’s defense was able to stifle Fresno State’s rushing attack but struggled slowing their efficient passing game. They bend but don’t break. But that’s not a good strategy against a terrific group of playmakers that can completely warp a defense in one play.
Ducks star edge rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux’s status may ultimately determine whether the Ducks have a good shot at slowing the Buckeyes down or not. He suffered an ankle injury in the first quarter against Fresno State and the defense struggled to create pressure the rest of the game.
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Oregon offense vs. Ohio State defense
The Oregon offense simply wants to run the ball down your throat until they bleed the clock dry. This works against less dynamic teams with less trench talent than their own. They attempted 49 rushes last week for 186 yards, and only threw the ball 24 times for 172 yards.
While Ohio State allowed a whopping 163 yards to Mohammed Ibrahim in a little over two quarters of play before he suffered a nasty Achilles tear, Minnesota’s offensive line is bigger and more powerful than Oregon’s. The two differ in style and this bodes well for the Buckeyes.
Oregon relies on motion and odd fronts to create number advantages. Ohio State showed their youth against Minnesota and are vulnerable to missing these gaps. Oregon tailbacks C.J. Verdell and Travis Dye will continue to be the focal point as long as the Ducks can afford to run the ball.
Ohio State is vulnerable a bit on deep passes. Their young secondary showed weakness because they lack experience. Oregon senior speedster Johnny Johnson should get a couple of deep targets to test the Buckeyes’ secondary prowess.
Betting trends for Oregon vs. Ohio State
Oregon has failed to cover the spread in five of their last six games. They’ve also hit the under in four of their last five games. The Ducks have lost the only two games they’ve played against Ohio State by an average of 16 points.
Ohio State has won 18-of-20 games overall and covered four of their last five spreads in September. They’ve hit the over in six of their last seven games.
CFB betting picks – Oregon vs. Ohio State
Oregon is a good team that will try to control the ball and the clock. They’re a veteran team and poise shouldn’t be an issue. But past matchups have shown the competitive imbalance between the two programs. Ohio State is too fast and dynamic to lose this home game, and they’ll pull away like they did against Minnesota.
Best bets: Ohio State -14 (-110)