Week 11 College Football Winning Predictions: Ohio State At Maryland

It can be argued that under the new playoff system in college football that the season doesn’t start to get interesting until the Playoff Committee issues their first official rankings. When they did that a couple of weeks ago, thigs were starting to look a little bleak for the Ohio State Buckeyes. They had a couple of close calls and a defeat at the hands of Penn State. The first match-up for Ohio State after the release of the first official poll saw them go against a top 10 ranked Nebraska, with many believing that a loss there would mean the end of their playoff hopes. The Buckeyes responded in dramatic fashion, crushing the Cornhuskers 62-3. They have what appears to be a much more manageable game versus the Maryland Terrapins this weekend, but they are currently sitting in the #5 spot with the latest rankings, and they need to continue to pile up the big wins. They will head into this one as a commanding 29-point online betting odds favorite over the Terrapins.

Analyzing The Week 11 College Football Winning Predictions: Buckeyes At Terrapins

When: Saturday, November 12 at 3:30 PM EST Where: Maryland Stadium, College Park TV: ESPN Live Stream: Watch ESPN NCAAF Odds: TBA    

Why bet on the Ohio State Buckeyes

While much has been made about the potent offense of the Buckeyes, it is the defense that needs to take a lot of the credit this year. They have had no less than 6 pick-sixes, adding two more to that total during the beating of Nebraska. That’s not to say that Ohio State are relying on their defense to bail them out, as they have been delivering a balanced attack for most the season. The biggest concern for bettor heading into this one is the 29-point spread that is currently on the board. That is a big number, and the Buckeyes are just 1-4 ATS this season when playing against teams with a winning record. The average margin of victory for Ohio State Buckeyes over Maryland in the last two seasons has been 24 points.

Why bet on the Maryland Terrapins

One of the biggest deciding factors for this game could well be the availability of Maryland QB Perry Hills. He is nursing a shoulder injury, and it’s unclear whether he will be able to go this weekend. Caleb Rowe came in to replace Hills last weekend, and was mostly ineffective. He has a pair of INT’s in that game against Michigan, and you should know that the Ohio State defense is going to be chomping at the bit to go after him if Hills is unable to go. Maryland are just 3-6 ATS this season, including going 1-3 ATS versus teams with a winning record.

Expert Pick and Final Score Prediction

If you are planning on playing ATS on this one, I would wait until we find out who will start for the Terrapins. If it’s Rowe, this thing could get very ugly indeed. I’m going with the Buckeyes here, and taking them to cover.

Ohio State Buckeyes 58 Maryland Terrapins 10