Ohio State vs Wisconsin Odds, Picks, and Predictions: Harrison Jr. Balls Out on Badgers

Things are heating up in the Big Ten following Ohio State’s 20-12 win over Penn State and Michigan getting tangled up in a sign-stealing scandal. The big three in the Midwest’s premier conference have drawn all the headlines, but it’s the Big Ten West race that’s up for grabs.

The college football odds have Wisconsin as the favorite Big Ten champ from the west, but with the Buckeyes coming to Camp Randall Stadium today, it likely won’t be a pretty reunion for new Badgers head coach Luke Fickell.

Find out where my best bets lie in our college football picks for Ohio State vs. Wisconsin on October 28.

Ohio State vs Wisconsin best odds

Ohio State vs Wisconsin picks and predictions

The Heisman race is anybody’s game after Caleb Williams stumbled the last two weeks and Michael Penix wasn’t at his best against Arizona State. Whether he wins it or not, Marvin Harrison Jr. currently sits behind four quarterbacks at +1500 and there’s an argument that the Ohio State Buckeyes go-to playmaker is the most dominant player in the sport.

The likely top-three NFL Draft pick has carried a limping Ohio State offense all season. This is an offense that quarterback Kyle McCord has struggled to acclimate to, especially following injuries to wide receiver Emeka Egbuka and running back TreVeyon Henderson.

Even without Egbuka and Henderson, Harrison was unstoppable against a Nittany Lions defense last week that still sits first in EPA per play and first in EPA per pass. If Harrison can go for 162 yards and a score on 11 receptions, he’s going to find a way to top the 103.5 receiving yards line he’s set at for this game.

The Wisconsin Badgers defense has been strong this season behind Fickell and defensive coordinator Mike Tressel, but they’ve given up the eighth most passing yards per game in the Big Ten (196.3) — 52 yards more than Penn State per game. And unlike the Nittany Lions, they don’t have one of the best cornerbacks in the country to stick on Harrison.

Wisconsin’s top cornerback Ricardo Hallman has been impressive but gives up five or six inches of height to Harrison, which will ultimately allow for plenty of 50/50 ball opportunities for the star. And while McCord has struggled, he hasn’t been afraid to blindly throw it up to his former high school teammate to let him make a play.

“I don't know that there's a corner in the country that just lock him down in a 7-on-7 drill," Tressel said about Harrison. “It just doesn't happen.”

Defenses have honed in on Harrison this season, given the Buckeyes' struggles in the running game and Egbuka's injury. However, Ryan Day and McCord have made sure that he continues to receive consistent targets.

In seven games this season, Harrison has totaled 42 receptions for 766 yards and six touchdowns while going over 103.5 receiving yards five times. The star wideout currently sits eighth in receiving yards in college football and is averaging 109 yards per game.

While it is expected to rain in Madison on Saturday evening, Ohio State’s offense hasn’t been able to run the ball this year and would much rather get it in Harrison's hands. Earlier in the season against Purdue in a game impacted by weather, the Buckeyes stud had six receptions for 105 yards and a touchdown.

My best bet: Marvin Harrison Over 103.5 receiving yards (-115 at bet365)
Picks made at time of writing may not reflect live odds.

Ohio State vs Wisconsin same-game parlay

Marvin Harrison Jr. Over 103.5 receiving yards (-115)

Ohio State -14.5 (-110)

Under 45.5 (-110)

+650 at bet365

When Harrison is cooking up defensive backs, the Buckeyes are usually covering the spread. In the four games where the Buckeyes have covered the spread this season — WKU, Maryland, Purdue, and Penn State — “Maserati Marv” has averaged 139 receiving yards.

Even if Harrison is racking up the yards, both of these teams have been struggling to hit the Over thanks to some hard-nosed defense and inefficient offense. Wisconsin has hit the Under in eight of its last 12 games (+3.60 Units / 27% ROI) and Ohio State has hit the Under in four of its last seven away games (+0.70 Units / 9% ROI).

The Buckeyes' ability to score is still there at times (33.7 points per game), but their defense has been so dominant that they’re rarely hitting the Over. Ohio State is holding teams to just 10 points per game — the third-best mark in college football.

Meanwhile, Wisconsin enters Week 9 averaging 26.9 points per game, and will be starting freshman backup quarterback Braedyn Locke with Tanner Mordecai injured. The Badgers have also held teams to 18.3 points per game, which ranks 20th in the nation. 

Learn how to bet a same-game parlay with these helpful tips and strategies.

Ohio State vs Wisconsin spread and Over/Under analysis

There hasn’t been much line movement with this game. Ohio State opened at -14 and has only shifted a 0.5-point at most books.

The Buckeyes have been a pretty reliable team to cover this season, going 4-2-1. They’ve covered or pushed all spreads below 30 points and are 3-1 against the spread in Big Ten games.

On the other hand, Wisconsin has struggled against the spread at 3-4. The Badgers have been favored in every game up to now and have already lost two of those contests outright. 

With both of these defenses keeping games low scoring, the total opened at 44 and has shifted up slightly to 45.5 at most books.

Few teams have been as bad as Ohio State at hitting the Over this season. The Buckeyes are just one of just seven programs to go 1-6 when betting the Over. They only cashed it in a 63-10 win against Western Kentucky and even hit the Under 46.5 last week against Penn State by a wide margin.

The Badgers have been better for hitting the Over, but not by much. They’re 3-4 when betting the Over and failed to hit against Iowa with a mind-boggling 34.5-point total. They've exceeded the Over in two out of the three games, both of which were Big Ten games.

Ohio State vs Wisconsin betting trend to know

Wisconsin has hit the team total Under in its last four games (+4.00 Units / 90% ROI). Find more college football betting trends for Ohio State vs Wisconsin.

Ohio State vs Wisconsin game info

Ohio State vs Wisconsin latest injuries

Ohio State vs Wisconsin weather

Monitor gametime conditions with our College football weather info.

Stay updated with the latest picks, odds, and news! Tap the to add us to your favorites on Google News to never miss a story.

Pages related to this topic