Can Ohio State do it again? That’s the question on the minds of fans and college football betting enthusiasts everywhere. The defending national champions are intriguing because they lost a lot of key players from last year’s title team but are still loaded with young talent, led by all-world sophomore receiver Jeremiah Smith. However, the Buckeyes must replace eight starters on defense, including team leaders like Jack Sawyer and JT Tuimoloau.
Smith is the most dynamic player in the country, but like many top contenders this season, Ohio State will be breaking in a new quarterback. Julian Sayin takes over for Will Howard. There is no denying Sayin’s talent, although Howard’s experience and leadership in big games will be missed. The Buckeyes must also replace three starting offensive linemen, their top two running backs, and receiver Emeka Egbuka.
Ohio State is one of the toughest teams to judge heading into the season. They still have elite talent at every position, but it’s hard for any team in a major conference to lose so many important players and be just as good. It won’t take long to get a read on this year’s Ohio State team. The Buckeyes host Texas in their opener on Aug. 30.
It’s not fair to put it all on my player, but Ohio State’s success this season will likely come down to Sayin. If he plays well, the Buckeyes are good enough to make the College Football Playoff even if they lose a close game to Texas at home. If Sayin is a step down from Howard, a conference schedule that features road games at Illinois and Michigan, along with a home date against Penn State, might be too much to overcome.
We’ll also need to see how quickly all the new pieces on defense come together. Not only are the Buckeyes replacing most of last year’s starters, but Ohio State also lost defensive coordinator Jim Knowles, who is now at Big Ten rival Penn State.
Despite all the changes, oddsmakers have positioned Ryan Day’s team as one of the favorites to win another title. Let’s look at Ohio State’s futures odds and how bettors should approach the Buckeyes this season.
Ohio State Buckeyes 2025 odds
National Championship: +600
Big Ten: +190
Win total: 10.5 (Over +106, Under -130)
Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook
Ohio State won’t fall far, but I think they are a little overvalued entering the season, mainly because the Buckeyes face the two top teams in my preseason power rankings—Texas and Penn State. Ohio State also has three tricky road games at Illinois, Washington and Michigan. Illinois is a Big Ten sleeper, while Washington and Michigan are two of my most improved teams in the country.
My favorite bet for Ohio State is under 10.5 wins. The Buckeyes have to go 11-1 or better to cash the over. Ryan Day managed to lose two games with the best team in the country last season. I’ll bet he figures out a way to do it again this year.
Ohio State Buckeyes best bet: Under 10.5 wins (-130)
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