Ohio State’s National Championship Odds Are as Long as +800 – Are the Buckeyes a Good Value Bet?
- The #3 Ohio State Buckeyes (6-0) are listed at +800 to win the college football national championship
- They won the Big Ten Championship but did have three games cancelled this season due to Covid-19
- Here are the national championship odds along with the best value pick on the board
The #3 Ohio State Buckeyes won’t be short on bulletin board material heading in to the Sugar Bowl on New Year’s Day against the #2 Clemson Tigers.
College Football National Championship Odds
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| #1 Alabama | -167 |
| #2 Clemson | +175 |
| #3 Ohio State | +800 |
| #4 Notre Dame | +3300 |
Odds taken from DraftKings Dec. 28th.
The college football national championship odds are begging you to bet on the Buckeyes. Here’s the case why Ohio State is a great pick to win their second title in the College Football Playoff era.
Dabo Swinney Ranked Ohio State 11th In The Coaches Poll
Only one coach in all of college football had Ohio State ranked lower than 6th and it was Clemson’s Dabo Swinney. Despite opening the year with comments suggesting everyone needed to keep an open mind about how many games are played, he has changed his tune. He believes it’s wildly unfair Ohio State would only need eight wins this year to win the title while the other three playoff teams would need 11 wins. If he’s correct, it means the Buckeyes have a pretty clear advantage. Whether they have the edge or not, he surely added some extra motivation to a team already looking for revenge.
Ohio State should be playing tonight pic.twitter.com/eYgZfBMUJG
— Barstool Ohio State (@BarstoolOSU) January 13, 2020
The Buckeyes lost to the Tigers in last years playoff, thanks in large part to two critical decisions by the officials. They erased a defensive touchdown overturning the call on the field to rule the receiver did not have possession. They also ejected Shaun Wade for targeting, extending what would be a touchdown drive for Clemson. Even with these two calls, Clemson escaped with a 29-23 win. This years game should be a coin flip as well, adding to the belief that the Buckeyes are a great value play at the current price tag.
Buckeyes Deserve More Credit For Big Ten Championship Win
Ohio State beat Northwestern 22-10 in the Big Ten Championship in what many believe was an underwhelming performance. They aren’t wrong, but there are good reasons for it. The Buckeyes were down 20 players due to Covid-19 and were still able to win by double-digits. Quarterback Justin Fields didn’t look the same without all the weapons at his disposal, including leading receiver Chris Olave, but they will be back for the Clemson game.
Most rushing yards in Championship Week
1. Trey Sermon, Ohio St – 331
2. Trey Sermon after contact – 196
3. Najee Harris, Bama – 178
4. Spencer Brown, UAB – 147
5. Travis Etienne, Clemson – 124 pic.twitter.com/sPhnhZMrXt— PFF College (@PFF_College) December 20, 2020
One other important question was answered in the win over the Wildcats – who is the best bet in the back field? Oklahoma transfer Trey Sermon won the game MVP rushing for 331 yards and two touchdowns and is expected to move forward as the starter. Master Teague has been good this season but Sermon proved what the offense could do with the more athletic option in the back field.
Bet Ohio State To Win At +800
Beating Clemson would only be half the battle with Alabama expected to cruise past Notre Dame in the other semi-final. The Buckeyes would be underdogs in that game, just like they were when they ran all over the Crimson Tide in 2014 on route to the national championship. It’s the value here that makes Ohio State a good bet. They are being unfairly criticized for only playing six games this season. Their cancelled games were against Maryland, Illinois and Michigan. They would have been more than four touchdown favorites in each of those games.
Clemson coach Dabo Swinney doubles down on ranking Ohio State No. 11 in Coaches Poll, Buckeyes' #CFBPlayoff resume:
"What universe am I living in? … In my opinion — Texas A&M, Florida, Oklahoma, Cincinnati — they got punished for playing more games."https://t.co/GWJLblctV1 pic.twitter.com/xNu0MTwsUt
— 247Sports (@247Sports) December 27, 2020
Had the Buckeyes entered the playoff with a 9-0 record would you still be able to bet them at +800? Probably not. The implied probability of a +800 bet is 11.1% and the evidence suggests they have a much better chance than that of beating both Clemson and Alabama.
The Pick: Ohio State (+800)
Ohio online sports betting is launching on January 1, 2023. Be sure to claim one of the following Ohio sportsbook promos:
Ryan has been working at TSN for over eleven years, and is now a lead writer and content producer at That's Hockey. Over the years, he's launched and hosted TSN's first NCAAF podcast, The College Football Show, and been featured on the likes of TSN 1050, Sportscentre, and That's Hockey 2Nite.
