Undefeated No. 2 Ohio State Takes on Struggling Northwestern: Big Ten Betting Preview
The undefeated No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes (8-0) travel to face Northwestern (1-7) coming off a hard-fought 44-31 victory at Penn State. The Buckeyes rallied with 28 fourth-quarter points behind CJ Stroud's 354 passing yards, while Northwestern dropped their seventh straight in a 33-13 loss to Iowa.
Game Details:
- Date: November 5
- Time: 12:00 PM ET
- Location: Evanston, IL
Betting Lines:
- Spread: Ohio State -38
- Over/Under: 56 points (-112 over, -109 under)
Key Factors:
- Ohio State aims to strengthen their #1 playoff contention case
- CJ Stroud looks to pad Heisman resume
- Northwestern needs to control clock and limit big plays
- Buckeyes defense focused on complete game performance
Analysis: The key question isn't whether Ohio State wins, but if they cover the massive 38-point spread. Northwestern's only chance to keep it closer is slowing the pace and converting third downs consistently. However, Ohio State's explosive offense and need to impress playoff voters suggests they'll put up points throughout.
Prediction: Ohio State to cover the spread in a dominant road performance, using this game to reinforce their case as the nation's top team while Northwestern struggles to generate consistent offense.
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