The quest to determine if the Ohio State Buckeyes are the best team money can buy begins Saturday in Columbus when the Akron Zips visit Ohio Stadium. This is more of a dress rehearsal for Ohio State but make no mistake, with rumors circulating that Ryan Day’s roster cost upwards of $20 million, expectations are sky high for the Buckeyes.
Akron Head Coach Joe Moorehead was asked for his thoughts about Ohio State and if he had anything to say to those who believe the Buckeyes are primed to contend if not win a national championship. His response was succinct but accurate.
“They are thinking right.”
Moorehead knows the Zips are a sacrificial lamb. Saturday will not be a test for the Buckeyes. It will be a showcase. It will be a test drive to see how the parts fit. It will be an opportunity for former UCLA Head Coach and new OC Chip Kelly to debut his vision for the Buckeyes’ offense with Will Howard under center. It will be an opportunity for the OSU defense which returns 7 starters from one of the top units in the nation in 2023 to showcase their abilities.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch first-pitch, projected pitching matchup, lineup cards, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
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Game details & how to watch Zips vs. Buckeyes Saturday
● Date: Saturday, August 31, 2024
● Time: 3:30PM EST
● Site: Ohio Stadium
● City: Columbus, OH
● TV/Streaming: CBS
Game odds for Akron vs. Ohio State
● Moneyline: Not Available
● Spread: Buckeyes -48.5
● Total: 58.5
*odds courtesy of BetMGM
NBC Sports Bet Best Bets
Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas) is likes all things Buckeyes
“The line has come down from 50.5. Yes, that’s the spread. I like all things Ohio State points. Defensively strong and offensively explosive. Scoring should not be an issue for the Buckeyes.”
Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports) is taking Ohio State OVER 13.5 1Q Points
“The Ohio State Buckeyes struggled to open last season with Kyle McCord and Devin Brown fighting for the QB position, but the vibes are different this year with Kansas State transfer Will Howard. Two touchdowns in the first 15 minutes are a likely outcome for the Buckeyes against the Zips.”
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From the Trading Desk at BetMGM courtesy of John Ewing:
Big Ten Conference Betting Overview
· Favorite: Ohio State +150
· Highest Ticket%: Penn State 33.7%
· Highest Handle%: Ohio State 55.4%
· Biggest Liability: Ohio State
Names to Know for Akron and Ohio State
○ Akron: QB Ben Finley – No question the transfer from Cal (2023) and NC State (2020-2022) will be under immense pressure with every snap. He must protect the ball to limit as best he can the onslaught coming the Zips way
○ Ohio State: QB Will Howard – transfer from Kansas State is viewed as the key to OSU’s title chances, but he has plenty of help beginning with RBs TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins who will be joining him in the Buckeyes’ backfield
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Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Zips vs. Buckeyes
● Akron was 2-10 in 2023
● Quinshon Judkins arrives after 2 strong seasons at Ole Miss totalling 2,725 yards and 31 TDs
● Michigan was the only school to score even 17 points against the Ohio State defense…that is supposed to be even better this season
Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:
- Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
- Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)
- Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)
- Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)
