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NCAAF Betting: Ohio State, Newcomer Oregon Head Big Ten Odds

The last time a Big Ten team stepped on the field, Michigan became the first conference team to win the national title since Ohio State in 2014. Three of the top 11 picks in the 2024 NFL Draft came from the Big Ten, with Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh bolting to the NFL as well.

Michigan topped Washington to win the College Football Playoff title, and now Washington joins the Wolverines as teams listed by the NCAA football odds as title contenders in the Big Ten. Oregon is actually the team from the Pac-12 with the best Big Ten championship odds, ranking ahead of fellow newcomers Southern California, Washington and UCLA.

NCAAF Betting: Ohio State, Newcomer Oregon Head Big Ten Odds
Devin Brown #33 of the Ohio State Buckeyes - Sam Hodde/Getty Images

The big winner in the revamped Big Ten could be Penn State, which has spent years being the third wheel in the Big Ten East Division behind Michigan and Ohio State. In recent years, it could be argued that Penn State was the third-best team in the Big Ten but didn’t appear in the conference title game. The Big Ten did away with the divisions so perhaps that will bode well for the Nittany Lions moving forward.

Ohio State is priced at +150 in the odds of winning the Big Ten title followed by Oregon (+225), Michigan (+450) and Penn State (+600). According to the Las Vegas NCAAF odds, the Big Ten trails the SEC and the Big 12 with +350 odds to have the most teams in the 12-team College Football Playoff field.

The season begins on Aug. 29 when Minnesota plays host to North Carolina while Illinois welcomes FCS opponent Eastern Illinois to town.

Ohio State is second at +425 in the odds of winning the national championship followed by Oregon (+900), Michigan (+1600), Penn State (+2800) and USC (+4000).

 

 

Transfers Make Ohio State Team To Beat

It isn’t often that the reigning national champions have the third-best odds to win their conference. That is the situation that Michigan is in.

Ohio State has been active in the transfer portal with Alabama safety Caleb Downs, Alabama quarterback Julian Sayin and Ole Miss running back Quinshon Judkins among the top 10 rated incoming transfers. Former Kansas State quarterback Will Howard is showing up in the Heisman Trophy odds.

It is hardly a surprise that the college football betting line has Ohio State as one of the national title front-runners.

Ohio State would have been a title contender even without the transfers, although the Buckeyes will miss receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. The Buckeyes have -125 odds to top 10½ wins during the regular season.

Oregon makes the move from the Pac-12 with former Georgia defensive coordinator Dan Lanning building something special in Eugene. Quarterback Bo Nix is among the players who are now in the NFL, so there are some holes to fill. Former Texas A&M receiver Evan Stewart is among the incoming transfers along with quarterback Dillon Gabriel.

Harbaugh, quarterback J.J. McCarthy and running back Blake Corum are key cogs from Michigan’s championship team now in the NFL so there are questions about the Wolverines. However, there is more than enough returning talent for the Wolverines to be a factor in the Big Ten once again.

Penn State doesn’t have Michigan on its schedule in 2024. However, a four-game stretch with matchups against USC, Wisconsin, Ohio State and Washington is pretty brutal. Is this the year that the Nittany Lions finally play their way into the Big Ten title game? It could be worth a shot to roll with Penn State at +600 to win the Big Ten title.

 

USC, Iowa Among Other Contenders

Former Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams is among the players gone for USC as the Trojans make the jump from the Pac-12 to the Big Ten. There were questions about whether the Trojans were too Hollywood and they struggled at times against the more physical teams. That will have to change for the Trojans to make waves in the Big Ten.

Iowa will have an outstanding defense once again. Will the offense make people’s eyes bleed or will head coach Kirk Ferentz being forced to replace his son as the offensive coordinator limit the pressure on the punting game for the Hawkeyes?

Not much was expected from Washington heading into last season according to the NCAAF odds. The expectations are even lower this time around with six teams having better Big Ten championship odds than the Huskies.

Even without quarterback Michael Penix Jr., three receivers being drafted and head coach Kalen DeBoer now at Alabama, Washington could be worth a what-the-heck bet at +5000 to win the Big Ten title.

 

Longshot Logjam at +5000

Washington is joined at +5000 in the Big Ten title odds by Maryland and Nebraska.

It is hard to have much confidence in either one of those teams. Maryland is often the polar opposite of the Iowa Hawkeyes with a dynamic offense and a leaky defense. Will that continue in 2024?

Nebraska is light years removed from the days when the Huskers were a player in the college football universe.

Will a change of coaches make a difference at UCLA? And how will Wisconsin look as the Badgers move away from the power-running game to be a more well-balanced offense?

 

 

 

Questions Of The Day

Which teams have the longest odds to win the Big Ten title during the 2024 season?


Indiana, Minnesota, and Purdue are all priced at +20000 in the Big Ten championship odds.

Which Big Ten players have the best odds to win the Heisman Trophy?


Quarterback Will Howard, who transferred from Kansas State to Ohio State, is tied for fourth at +1400 in the Heisman Trophy odds.

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