Ohio State owns a 16-game winning streak, but the spreads might be taking their toll; the Buckeyes are 1-2 against the spread this season and 0-4 ATS the last four times they've been favored by four touchdowns or more. OSU falls into that spot again when it hosts Western Michigan at the Horseshoe Saturday afternoon.
Point spread: Buckeyes opened as 27-point favorites, according to sportsbooks monitored by Odds Shark (line updates and matchup report).
College football pick, via Odds Shark computer: 51.3-24.6 Buckeyes
Why the Western Michigan Broncos can cover the spread
The Broncos, potential contenders in the MAC this season, are 1-2 so far straight up but 2-1 ATS after beating Murray State last week 52-20, covering as four-touchdown favorites. Western Michigan piled up 628 yards of offense, 237 on the ground, while quarterback Zach Terrell connected on 25 of 30 throws for 355 yards and four scores.
The Broncos had been somewhat embarrassed in Week 2 when they went down to Georgia Southern and as a six-point favorite got busted 43-17. So last week qualifies as a solid bounce-back effort.
Western Michigan opened this season with a 37-24 loss at home to Michigan State, but it covered as a 16-point home dog against what is now the No. 2 team in the country. So the Broncos have shown they can keep things respectable against topnotch competition.
Why the Ohio State Buckeyes can cover the spread
The No. 1 team in the country is off to a 3-0 start following last week's 20-13 victory over Northern Illinois. The Buckeyes didn't exactly impress, falling behind early, needing a late score on an interception return to take control, but they persevered, overcoming five turnovers on an off-day against an underrated and inspired opponent.
Two weeks ago, Ohio State hammered out a 38-0 decision over Hawaii, coming up one score short of covering a 42-point spread. The Buckeyes opened this season with a 42-24 victory at Virginia Tech, outgaining the Hokies by 250 yards, covering at -13.
Ohio State may have yawned its way through the last couple of weeks, but don't kid yourself—this is still the best team in the country and is capable of exploding at almost any moment.
Smart pick
The Buckeyes are going against the MAC for the second straight week, but Western Michigan isn't Northern Illinois. And after the last couple of weeks, Ohio State might come out steaming Saturday. The smart choice in this spot is with the heavy.
Betting trends
Western Michigan is 0-14 SU in its last 14 games against the Big Ten.
Ohio State is 16-0 SU in its last 16 games.
Ohio State is 28-2 SU in its last 30 games at home in September.
All point spread and lines data courtesy of Odds Shark. All quotes gathered firsthand unless otherwise noted. Check out Twitter for injury and line movement updates and get the free odds tracker app.
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