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Buckeyes now the smart choice for winning the CFP playoff?

royboy

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Nov 9, 2001
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So say the bettors.

There's a new favorite atop the odds to win the national championship at sportsbooks, and for the first time in nearly two years, it doesn't hail from the SEC.

Ohio State moved past Alabama and Georgia this week to become the consensus favorite to win the College Football Playoff. The Buckeyes are +200 at Caesars Sportsbook, followed by the Crimson Tide and Bulldogs each at +220.

It marks the first time since November 2020 that a team other than Alabama or Georgia has been the consensus favorite.

The Buckeyes, Bulldogs and Crimson Tide have been atop the national championship odds all season and account for nearly 60% of the money wagered on BetMGM's odds to win the national championship. They are the only teams with single-digit title odds. Clemson is 12-1 and USC is 16-1, followed by Michigan at 20-1. Tennessee, which hosts Alabama this week, is at 40-1.
 
My picks are still (1) Alabama and OSU (1a). As we all know, the OSU defense has really been their weak link (an understatement) the last few years but they seemed to have fixed it - we'll see when they play you guys in a few weeks as I believe PSU has a top notch offense - especially their ground attack. And I'll probably get some backlash here, but I believe Clifford is the B1G MVP so far as he's just steady and reliable.
 
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I think the Buckeyes are the best team in the land. I don't think Alabama or Georgia can score with them but the margins are thin because Alabama & Georgia both have better defenses than them.
Georgia's offense will be there undoing. Georgia is not playing great but they are the defending champ, even though it is a completely different team.
Bama almost lost to A&M and Georgia almost lost to Mizzou. They found a way to win but both were outplayed by very average teams.
OSU may win the title on the simple fact nobody can match them score for score.
Marvin Harrison looks like an NFL player out there.
Anyone can beat anyone on any given day in college football.
 
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with single game elimination, anything can happen. tOSU has as much talent as anyone. A challenge is that, for tOSU, the playoffs are always away games. B1G teams have to be built for bad weather and Southern teams don't really worry about that. So a big part of what makes a B1G team championship is taken away from them. Its like a baseball team having to go into Fenway for a playoff game. Regardless, right now, tOSU looks really strong in all phases of the game.
 
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with single game elimination, anything can happen. tOSU has as much talent as anyone. A challenge is that, for tOSU, the playoffs are always away games. B1G teams have to be built for bad weather and Southern teams don't really worry about that. So a big part of what makes a B1G team championship is taken away from them. Its like a baseball team having to go into Fenway for a playoff game. Regardless, right now, tOSU looks really strong in all phases of the game.
A good point and that's why you'll never see a major Southern team play a decent Northern team in somewhat colder weather
 
A good point and that's why you'll never see a major Southern team play a decent Northern team in somewhat colder weather
Honestly, shouldn't the talent determine who is the best not controllable variables.
I think it would be great to see Bama play OSU on the frozen tundra of Lambeau Field for fun but what would that prove, that different team might win if there is cold weather and crappy field conditions?
I like taking variables out and making conditions perfect in order for players to best showcase their skills against one and other.
 
Honestly, shouldn't the talent determine who is the best not controllable variables.
I think it would be great to see Bama play OSU on the frozen tundra of Lambeau Field for fun but what would that prove, that different team might win if there is cold weather and crappy field conditions?
I like taking variables out and making conditions perfect in order for players to best showcase their skills against one and other.
One of the great things about Beaver Stadium is the perfect natural turf maintained by the world's leading turfgrass science department. They make the field conditions as close to artificial as possible with a natural surface. It's a thing of beauty.
 
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Can't bet against Saban and the Tide. Once Young returns the Tide will start to roll. Watch, they will somehow beat Tenn even with their backup QB playing. Saban and his teams just know how to win. I like them beating O$U for the title with Young outplaying Stroud. Saban will figure out how to limit O$U's offense.
 
Honestly, shouldn't the talent determine who is the best not controllable variables.
I think it would be great to see Bama play OSU on the frozen tundra of Lambeau Field for fun but what would that prove, that different team might win if there is cold weather and crappy field conditions?
I like taking variables out and making conditions perfect in order for players to best showcase their skills against one and other.
Absolutely, the talent should determine who is the best. I want to see both teams at full strength in ideal conditions so that talent is showcased. Win or lose, no excuses.

Most here disagree about playing in perfect conditions, they think a southern team would fold like a cheap suit in inclement weather and it would be an automatic victory for the northern team. I have yet to see any evidence whatsoever this would be the case.
 
OSU is loaded with talent, Three first round picks @ Wr. To bad PSU could not snag Harrison Jr. but ND did give a blue print to slow them down a bit.
 
Just like his father, Harrison Jr. would never even consider PSU.
 
OSU is loaded with talent, Three first round picks @ Wr. To bad PSU could not snag Harrison Jr. but ND did give a blue print to slow them down a bit.
Yeah, I hear ya but once OSU figured out that ND wasn't going to allow OSU to beat them deep by dropping their safeties, OSU just went to the short-intermediate passes and especially just pounding the ball on the ground in the 2nd half. Honestly, my hopes were sky high at half time, especially with the 3-point lead but you could see OSU taking total control of the game in the 2nd half.

But I do agree with you, the only chance anyone has of beating OSU this year is to drop the safeties deep and slow down their QUICK strike offense by making them run the ball. And that's not a shot at the OSU running game - believe me - every ND follower knows that
 
Ohio State is the favorite to win the playoff in large part because they are the team of the top 3 (with Bama and Georgia) that is most likely to *make* the playoff.

Assuming two losses would knock anyone out, OSU has PSU and Michigan left as serious challenges. Bama has Tennessee and Georgia. Georgia has Tennessee and Bama. Both the SEC teams have more difficult paths.
 
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with single game elimination, anything can happen. tOSU has as much talent as anyone. A challenge is that, for tOSU, the playoffs are always away games. B1G teams have to be built for bad weather and Southern teams don't really worry about that. So a big part of what makes a B1G team championship is taken away from them. Its like a baseball team having to go into Fenway for a playoff game. Regardless, right now, tOSU looks really strong in all phases of the game.
This is why I’m a fan of the new (proposed) playoff format where seeds 5-8 will host a home game. I want to see how some of these SEC teams play a game in December, north of the Mason-Dixon Line.
 
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Yeah, I hear ya but once OSU figured out that ND wasn't going to allow OSU to beat them deep by dropping their safeties, OSU just went to the short-intermediate passes and especially just pounding the ball on the ground in the 2nd half. Honestly, my hopes were sky high at half time, especially with the 3-point lead but you could see OSU taking total control of the game in the 2nd half.

But I do agree with you, the only chance anyone has of beating OSU this year is to drop the safeties deep and slow down their QUICK strike offense by making them run the ball. And that's not a shot at the OSU running game - believe me - every ND follower knows that
I agree. That is the only possibility. Watching their offense is like watching a video football team. They make scoring look easy. They also now have a much better defense than they had the last few years.
 
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I think the Buckeyes are the best team in the land. I don't think Alabama or Georgia can score with them but the margins are thin because Alabama & Georgia both have better defenses than them.
Georgia's offense will be there undoing. Georgia is not playing great but they are the defending champ, even though it is a completely different team.
Bama almost lost to A&M and Georgia almost lost to Mizzou. They found a way to win but both were outplayed by very average teams.
OSU may win the title on the simple fact nobody can match them score for score.
Marvin Harrison looks like an NFL player out there.
Anyone can beat anyone on any given day in college football.
To be fair, Bama played without their starting QB against A& M.
 
I agree. That is the only possibility. Watching their offense is like watching a video football team. They make scoring look easy. They also now have a much better defense than they had the last few years.
Or you need to have corners who can play man at least enough to give them different looks.
 
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Ohio State is the favorite to win the playoff in large part because they are the team of the top 3 (with Bama and Georgia) that is most likely to *make* the playoff.

Assuming two losses would knock anyone out, OSU has PSU and Michigan left as serious challenges. Bama has Tennessee and Georgia. Georgia has Tennessee and Bama. Both the SEC teams have more difficult paths.
Not convinced about Tennessee yet.
 
I think the Buckeyes are the best team in the land. I don't think Alabama or Georgia can score with them but the margins are thin because Alabama & Georgia both have better defenses than them.
Georgia's offense will be there undoing. Georgia is not playing great but they are the defending champ, even though it is a completely different team.
Bama almost lost to A&M and Georgia almost lost to Mizzou. They found a way to win but both were outplayed by very average teams.
OSU may win the title on the simple fact nobody can match them score for score.
Marvin Harrison looks like an NFL player out there.
Anyone can beat anyone on any given day in college football.
Good post. However, with the possible exception of ND (and that probably is a stretch) OSU really hasn’t had a tough schedule.
 
Let me know when the Buckeyes play someone with a pulse.

Ohio St needs to focus on Michigan. They were humiliated last year
 
Ohio State is the favorite to win the playoff in large part because they are the team of the top 3 (with Bama and Georgia) that is most likely to *make* the playoff.

Assuming two losses would knock anyone out, OSU has PSU and Michigan left as serious challenges. Bama has Tennessee and Georgia. Georgia has Tennessee and Bama. Both the SEC teams have more difficult paths.
Tennessee is playing pretty tough this year and have knocked 3 P5s out of the top 25, two being away games. They are going to be trouble.
 
Or you need to have corners who can play man at least enough to give them different looks.

Agree with that. Also, you need a front that can get pressure with 3-5 defenders with regularity. Force Stroud to throw into areas with 2 defenders. It seems that he's always isolating 1v1s.
 
Go to GB this coming Jan, bribe anyone you see at the stadium, sit your ass on the 50 and watch away. Wish fulfilled.
What will be missing is the NC game or any game for that matter. Otherwise it sounds like a good time. Many players in a NC game will or at least aspire to play in the NFL. That in turn requires possibly playing in GB in January. It would be interesting to see how Alabama would play in 0 degree weather.
 
What will be missing is the NC game or any game for that matter. Otherwise it sounds like a good time. Many players in a NC game will or at least aspire to play in the NFL. That in turn requires possibly playing in GB in January. It would be interesting to see how Alabama would play in 0 degree weather.
Bart Starr did pretty good for a Bama guy. He must have grown up there.
 
Not convinced about Tennessee yet.

I didn't think much of the Vols when they struggled to beat a so-so Pitt team. But after pasting LSU on the road last week, I now think they are a solid top ten team. Bama is lucky they are getting Bryce back this week. If he gets banged up again, I could see Tennessee coming out with a win.
 
I didn't think much of the Vols when they struggled to beat a so-so Pitt team. But after pasting LSU on the road last week, I now think they are a solid top ten team. Bama is lucky they are getting Bryce back this week. If he gets banged up again, I could see Tennessee coming out with a win.

Is Bryce back for sure?
 
Watching pregame for aTm he did not even attempt to throw. I will believe he is back when he is back.

That seems to be the thing with his injury. Throwing doesn't let it heal. Getting hit risks making it work. They can always shoot him up in the locker room, but who's to say how it will feel after.
 
I figured the -7.5 was the uncertainty of Young. They've been double digit favorites quite a bit.
Bama with Young at serviceable is a monster. Without him has been a bit of a struggle, that backup waves the ball around one handed like a flag. The Vols are looking to get their first win against Saban. This will be a key game in the CFP race.
 
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So say the bettors.

There's a new favorite atop the odds to win the national championship at sportsbooks, and for the first time in nearly two years, it doesn't hail from the SEC.

Ohio State moved past Alabama and Georgia this week to become the consensus favorite to win the College Football Playoff. The Buckeyes are +200 at Caesars Sportsbook, followed by the Crimson Tide and Bulldogs each at +220.

It marks the first time since November 2020 that a team other than Alabama or Georgia has been the consensus favorite.

The Buckeyes, Bulldogs and Crimson Tide have been atop the national championship odds all season and account for nearly 60% of the money wagered on BetMGM's odds to win the national championship. They are the only teams with single-digit title odds. Clemson is 12-1 and USC is 16-1, followed by Michigan at 20-1. Tennessee, which hosts Alabama this week, is at 40-1.
+200 what a bad bet. Yes they have a chance but those are horrible betting numbers.
 
I think the Buckeyes are the best team in the land. I don't think Alabama or Georgia can score with them but the margins are thin because Alabama & Georgia both have better defenses than them.
Georgia's offense will be there undoing. Georgia is not playing great but they are the defending champ, even though it is a completely different team.
Bama almost lost to A&M and Georgia almost lost to Mizzou. They found a way to win but both were outplayed by very average teams.
OSU may win the title on the simple fact nobody can match them score for score.
Marvin Harrison looks like an NFL player out there.
Anyone can beat anyone on any given day in college football.
No. The same 3 teams are in the playoffs every year.
 
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