Ohio State

Ohio State is set to face Iowa next Saturday, and the Buckeyes opened as 24-point favorites for the matchup. However, after their 38-7 victory over Michigan State and Iowa’s scheduled bye, the spread has shifted. DraftKings now lists Ohio State as 21-point favorites, with FanDuel offering a slightly narrower line at 20.5 points. If this holds, it will be the smallest margin of victory projected for Ohio State so far in 2024. The Buckeyes have closed as favorites in every game this season, but this would be the first time the line is set below 23.5 points. So far, Ohio State holds a 2-2 record against the spread.

The over/under for the game opened at 42.5 points and has not moved. Ohio State has seen overs hit in all of its nonconference games this season, but the matchup against Michigan State last night marked the first under, with the teams combining for a total of 45 points, falling short by 3.5. Iowa has also gone 2-2 against the spread and recently covered as three-point favorites in a 31-14 win over Minnesota. Surprisingly, Iowa has hit the over in all four of its games this season, a departure from its usual low-scoring games under head coach Kirk Ferentz.

Ohio State’s last meeting with Iowa came in 2022, when the Buckeyes covered a 30-point spread with a 54-10 victory in Columbus. Historically, Ohio State has struggled to cover the spread against Iowa, doing so only nine times in their last 14 meetings dating back to 1995. The Buckeyes will host the Hawkeyes next Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET on CBS.

In the national polls, Ohio State remains ranked third in both the AP and Coaches Polls despite the win over Michigan State. Alabama leaped to the top spot in both rankings after a thrilling comeback victory over Georgia. Michigan re-entered the top 10 following losses by Ole Miss and Utah, while BYU made the biggest jump in the AP Poll, climbing five spots after a road win over Baylor. Meanwhile, Oklahoma State and Texas A&M dropped out entirely.