The most important Big Ten matchup of the year takes place Saturday night inside Autzen Stadium, where the No. 3 Oregon Ducks host the No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes.
The pregame narrative: Both teams have averaged 35-plus points per game, so we could be in for some fireworks on offence. With that in mind, I’m backing OSU quarterback Will Howard to score and taking the over on yardage props for Quinshon Judkins, Jordan James and Terrance Ferguson.
Check out my top Ohio State vs. Oregon picks for this Week 7 matchup.
Ohio State vs. Oregon picks
Click linked odds to add selection to betslip. Note: Lines have changed/market no longer available if grey.
| OSU vs. ORE picks | Odds | Bet now ⬇️ |
| Howard anytime TD | +108 | Add to betslip |
| Parlay: James 65+ rush yards, Judkins 55+ rush yards | +148 | Pick 1 + Pick 2 |
| Ferguson over 24.5 rec. yards | -136 | Add to betslip |
Go to full college football betting markets.
Best Bet: Howard anytime TD (+108)
When it comes to offensive playmakers, Ohio State has an embarrassment of riches.
Both tailbacks are averaging more than 7.5 yards per carry, and all three wide receivers have the potential to be first-round NFL draftees in their respective classes.
Let’s not overlook quarterback Will Howard, either. He’s adept at distributing the ball through the air but can also affect a game on the ground.
Howard, 6-foot-4 and 235 pounds, is big enough to take the ball between the tackles and run through somebody. And with 23 career rushing TDs on 250 attempts, he’s clearly capable of handling that task.
One of Ohio State’s great strengths so far has been its red zone offence, which has scored a touchdown in 20 of 21 trips (95.2%). Howard’s willingness to tuck the ball and run gives opposing defences something extra to worry about.
Howard has scored in four consecutive games, scoring from the six-yard line or closer each time.
I expect the Buckeyes’ No. 4-ranked scoring offence (46.0 PPG) to put up points. And Howard has some nice value to keep his touchdown streak alive.
Key stat: Since the start of last year, Howard has scored in 11 of 17 games.
Quick picks
Parlay: James 65+ rush yards, Judkins 55+ rush yards (+148): After impressive efficiency in a backup role, James has finally risen to the top of the Ducks’ depth chart — and he’s thriving.
James paced the Pac-12 in yards per rush last year (7.1 yards), but he was overshadowed by Bucky Irving, who now plays on Sundays. This season, James has averaged 6.3 yards per carry and scored five times in five games.
More notably, James hasn’t had an off-game yet. He’s rushed for 85-plus yards each time and has always averaged more than five yards per tote.
Ohio State will be the junior tailback’s toughest test to date, and there’s a chance Oregon has to abandon the run at some point if Ohio State builds a lead.
But James has been reliably efficient enough that he should be able to clear this total even with a reduced workload.
As for Judkins, the transition from Ole Miss to Ohio State has been smooth. He’s averaging 93.6 yards per game and has cashed this bet in four of five matchups.
Oregon has only seen one elite rushing attack so far: Ashton Jeanty and the Boise State Broncos. Jeanty had 192 yards on 25 carries in that matchup.
Can Judkins put up roughly 30% of the yards Jeanty ran for against the Ducks? I think so.
Ferguson over 24.5 receiving yards (-136): A prop bet on Oregon leading receiver Tez Johnson might be the expectation, but I think Ohio State’s talented defensive backs will be keyed on him.
Ferguson has a very modest receiving yardage line that he’s cleared in four of five games.
The senior tight end has seen three-plus targets every game and broke free for a 62-yard gain last week. He’s seeing steady volume and has big-play ability, which is all you can ask for.
Picks made at 4:00 p.m. on 08/31/2024.
Jordan enjoys writing data-driven game previews and analysis articles — especially for MLB markets or NFL/NBA props. And as a proud Ohio University grad, he’ll always have a soft spot for college sports (especially if the Bobcats are involved). Previous stops include mlb.com, Sportsnet and The Athletic.