Ohio State vs. Indiana Prediction, Pick, Odds: Can Kyle McCord, Marvin Harrison Jr. Impress in Season Opener?
This Saturday is loaded with great College Football matchups, including Ohio State vs. Indiana. Can Kyle McCord and Marvin Harrison Jr. impress in season opener? Matthew MacKay answers.
Matt MacKay - August 28, 2023, 9:52 AM EDT
5 minOhio State vs. Indiana Prediction, Pick, Odds: Can Kyle McCord, Marvin Harrison Jr. Impress in Season Opener?
The Big Ten kicks off its first week of the 2023 college football season with a matchup between Ohio State and Indiana. The Buckeyes enter Week 1 ranked No. 3 in the country, traveling to Bloomington, Indiana, to play the Hoosiers on Saturday afternoon.
It's a big change for the Buckeyes, who saw former quarterback C.J. Stroud taken second overall in the NFL Draft this past April, opening a vacancy for Kyle McCord to step in after an intense training camp battle with freshman Devin Brown. McCord played high school football with stud OSU wideout Marvin Harrison Jr., so expect their chemistry to be in sync early and often.
Meanwhile, Indiana is led by head coach Tom Allen, who only has two winning seasons entering his eighth year at IU. Last season, Ohio State trounced the Hoosiers 56-14 in Columbus, so it'll be a tall task for Indiana to manufacture a massive Week 1 upset against the No. 3 ranked team in the nation.
Will Ohio State continue to be the juggernaut offense we've seen under Ryan Day for the past several years? Or will a slow start open up a window of opportunity for Indiana to compete down the stretch? Here are our picks, predictions, and odds for Saturday's game between the Ohio State Buckeyes vs. Indiana Hoosiers.
Ohio State vs. Indiana Date, Time, and Where To Watch
- Date: Saturday, September 2, 2023
- Game Time: 3:30 p.m. ET
- Where to Watch: CBS
Ohio State vs. Indiana Odds
- Spread: Ohio State -29.5 (-108), Indiana +29.5 (-112)
- Total Odds: Under 60.5 (-105), Over 60.5 (-115)
- Moneyline Odds: N/A
Ohio State vs. Indiana Injury Report
OHIO STATE
Questionable: N/A
Out: TE Bennett Christian (Suspension)
INDIANA
Questionable: N/A
Out: N/A
Ohio State vs. Indiana Prediction
McCord has been handling reps during blowout wins in past seasons, but this will be his first time as QB1 with a full load of expectations from Ohio State coaches and its rabid fanbase. Win out and add another College Football Playoff trophy to join the inaugural CFP national championship won back in 2014.
McCord will have plenty of help from his surrounding personnel, including Harrison Jr., who is a consensus top-3 draft pick in the upcoming 2024 NFL Draft. It's not just these two players on the field for Ohio State, as running backs Miyan Williams, TreVeyon Henderson, and Dallan Hayden form a strong trio in the backfield. Each running back had huge outings for the Buckeyes when called upon in 2022, while Emeka Egbuka is an underrated wideout garnering a lot more attention heading into 2023.
Indiana's transfer quarterback, Tayven Jackson, left Tennessee this offseason and will have fellow transfer wideout Dequece Carter as another weapon in the Hoosiers' wide receiving corps. At times, Ohio State's defense looked impenetrable in 2022. Still, the Buckeyes' defense could not contain big plays against Michigan and Georgia, so expect Indiana to be aggressive downfield early and often.
From a betting standpoint, this game has all the makings of cashing the over. The total is currently set to 60.5 at FanDuel Sportsbook, which feels way too low. The total has gone over in all five of Indiana's last five games against Ohio State, including four of their last five at home. Last year, Ohio State won 56-14, easily clearing this total, so let's run it back once more. Don't overthink this pick, and let's roll with over 60.5 at -115 odds on FanDuel Sportsbook.
Ohio State vs. Indiana Pick
- Over 60.5 -115 is currently the best odds. Click here to see which sportsbook has the best odds for this pick
College Football Odds
