Based on how last year ended, the Ohio State Buckeyes are looking to put together somewhat of a revenge tour in the next-look Big Ten next season.
In order to make it back to the College Football Playoff in the first season of the 12-team format, the Buckeyes will have to go through the usual conference suspects along with making a cross-country trip to face the Oregon Ducks.
However, Ohio State’s toughest road game could come on Saturday, Nov. 2 when the Buckeyes visit the Penn State Nittany Lions. Fortunately for coach Ryan Day and co., early betting lines favor OSU.
Per DraftKings sportsbook, the Buckeyes open as a slight three-point favorite over Penn State, a significant spread considering OSU is the road team.
The matchup vs. Penn State will come at a crucial point in Ohio State’s season. If the Buckeyes can get past Oregon in what would be a big-time conference win, they’ll then have three winnable home games against Nebraska, Purdue and Indiana along with a road meeting with Northwestern all sandwiched around the PSU game before hosting Michigan in the regular-season finale.
Last season, the Buckeyes didn’t have much trouble handling Penn State in Columbus for a 20-12 win in a game that wasn’t as close as the final score indicated. That win put a significant stamp on OSU’s College Football Playoff resume, but those championship hopes were dashed when the crushing loss to Michigan knocked the Buckeyes out of Big Ten title contention and essentially ended any chanxe of a CFP berth.
The kickoff time for Ohio State vs. Penn State next season will be announced at a later date.
