Buckeyes open as early favorite for massive showdown with Oregon

COLUMBUS — Ohio State is likely going to be favored in every regular-season game it plays this fall — including the biggest nonconference showdown.

The Buckeyes are heavily favored to win the Big Ten for the fifth-consecutive season. And they’re one of the top teams in the nation, boasting the third-best odds to win the College Football Playoff. So it’s no surprise the Buckeyes are favored in Week Two when Oregon visits the Horseshoe.

The folks at FanDuel Sportsbook have released odds for some of the biggest games of the season, including Ohio State’s matchup against Oregon. The Buckeyes are the early favorite for the Sept. 11 showdown, opening as a nine-point favorite over the Ducks.

The official time and channel for the game has been set for a Noon kickoff on FOX. The biggest Big Ten nonconference game of the year will be a part of FOX’s third season of Big Noon Kickoff, in which it puts the best game of the week in the noon time slot. And the Horseshoe should be electric with what now could be a full-capacity crowd.

“I know usually we’re used to 85,000 for a spring game, but even 20 [thousand] was nice,” Ohio State coach Ryan Day said this spring. “I know there was a huge demand with the students. I really appreciate the students coming out and doing their part even though it wasn’t as many out there as they would have liked. I know they sold a couple extra tickets, so I appreciate the students.

“I’m just hoping that thing is full when we come back against Oregon here in not too long.”

The last time Oregon and Ohio State met on the gridiron was back in the 2015 national championship in the first year of the College Football Playoff. Cardale Jones threw for 242 yards and a touchdown, while Ezekiel Elliot rushed for 246 yards and four scores as the Buckeyes picked up a 42-20 victory. The win marked their first national championship since 2002.

Ohio State was supposed to travel to Oregon last fall as part of a home-and-home series, but COVID-19 derailed the hope of nonconference games. Now the two surefire preseason AP top-25 teams will clash again, this time in Columbus. The Buckeyes will be hungry to show they’ve improved after this past season’s loss in the national championship game.

Oregon’s trip to the Horseshoe on Sept. 11 provides the perfect opportunity. It is already officially an underdog to the reigning Big Ten-champion Buckeyes.