The Ball State Cardinals and the No. 1 Ohio State Buckeyes meet Saturday at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio. Kickoff is scheduled for 12:30 p.m. ET (Big Ten Network). Let's analyze college football odds around the Ball State vs. Ohio State odds and make our expert college football picks and predictions for the best bets.
This is the first-ever meeting between these institutions on the gridiron.
The Buckeyes enter the season ranked No. 1 in the major polls. Ohio State is 6-0 against Mid-American Conference teams under coach Ryan Day, and the average margin of victory is 51.5 points per game (PPG).
Ohio State will have plenty of offense, with QB Julian Sayin back under center, RB Bo Jackson in the backfield, and WR Jeremiah Smith catching the ball
downfield. If there is a concern, maybe not necessarily against Ball State, but on the season, it's on defense. Defensive coordinator Matt Patricia must replace 8 starters from 2025's playoff team.
Ball State won just 4 games last season, and the defense allowed 23 receiving TDs in 2025. That's great news for Sayin, Smith and all of the other receivers. The Cardinals opened at the Purdue Boilermakers, another Big Ten team, last season. Ball State lost 31-0, failing to cover as a 16.5-point underdog as the Under (48.5) cashed.
Prior to that, its last Big Ten opponent was the Penn State Nittany Lions in 2021 at Happy Valley, a 44-13 loss as 22-point dogs as the Over (54) hit. It's most recent cover against a Big Ten team came in a neutral-site game against the Indiana Hoosiers in 2019, well before the rise to prominence for the Hoosiers. Indiana still won 41-31, but Ball State covered as an 18-point dog as the Under (61) connected.
– Rankings: US LBM Coaches Poll, conducted by the American Football Coaches Association and USA TODAY Sports
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Ball State at Ohio State odds
Provided by FanDuel Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated Friday at 6:54 a.m. ET.
- Moneyline (ML): Off the board (OTB)
- Against the spread (ATS): Ball State +50.5 (-114) | Ohio State -50.5 (-106)
- Over/Under (O/U): 56.5 (O: -106 | U: -114)
Ball State at Ohio State picks and predictions
Prediction
Ohio State 59, Ball State 10
Moneyline
There was no money line at the time of publishing, but it wouldn’t be worth pursuing anyway.
Against the spread
Hold your breath and take BALL STATE +50.5 (-110), and hope for a slow start by Ohio State before it eventually gets rolling. Again, it has won its 6 games against MAC goes by 51.5 PPG under Day, so he won't call off the dogs. Ohio State will go 3 and 4 deep in this game, and still it will be more talented than the kids on a lower-tier MAC team. However, if Ball State can get into the end zone once, a cover is likely. If it is held to just 3 or 0 points, watch out.
Over/Under
OVER 56.5 (-106) might be the best play on the board, and Ohio State should do most of the heavy lifting. It might even take care of the Over all on its own.
Best prop bet
OHIO STATE OVER 228.5 RUSHING YARDS (-114 at FanDuel Sportsbook)
I wanted to suggest BO JACKSON OVER 83.5 RUSHING YARDS (-114), and you could play that, too. However, go lightly on that, as he could give way to others on the depth chart sooner rather than later, limiting his carries, if Ohio State builds a gigantic early lead. Of course, if it does that, Jackson likely will bust a long scoring run to contribute. Still, don't be surprised if he is limited to 10-12 carries, that's why the team play is the better wager.
Betting odds calculator
For more sports betting picks and tips, check out SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW. Follow Daniel Dobish on X at @danieledobish. Follow SportsbookWire on X at SportsBookWire and on Facebook.
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This article originally appeared on Sportsbook Wire: Ball State Cardinals at Ohio State Buckeyes odds, picks and predictions
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