Army vs. Ohio State Total Pick
Is No. 8 Ohio State going to put up a big number on Army when the two meet on Saturday at 4:30PM ET? Here’s our take on the total for this game.
According to oddsmakers at Bovada.lv, Ohio State is the heavy favorite in this contest, as the Buckeyes are getting odds of -30 points against the Golden Knights. The over/under total for the game is listed at 53 points. Saturday’s game is set to take place from Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio and will air live on FOX.
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Ohio State is coming off the surprising 31-16 loss at home to Oklahoma last week to fall to 1-1 on the season. The Buckeyes also hit the under of 64.5 in the loss and are 1-1 with the over/under in 2017. In the loss to the Sooners, Ohio State gave up 490 yards of offense, including 386 passing yards. The Ohio State offense managed just 350 total yards. J.T. Barrett struggled, throwing for 183 yards on 19 of 35 passing while rushing for 66 yards on 18 carries. J.K. Dobbins was the leading rusher with 72 yards on 13 carries. He continues to be the featured back as Mike Weber battles a hamstring injury.
Army is off to a 2-0 start with wins over Fordham and Buffalo. The Golden Knights are also 1-1 with the over/under total. Army is putting up 42.5 points per game and 426 yards per contest thus far, but almost all of it comes on the ground from their triple option offense. Ahmad Bradshaw has run for 324 yards and thrown for all 17 of the team’s passing yards this season. Darnell Woolfolk has added 186 rushing yards as well. Defensively, Army is giving up just 11.5 points and 309 yards per game in 2017.
Ohio State took a punch to the gut against Oklahoma, so I would expect a motivated effort on Saturday, especially on defense. Ohio State was carved up by the Sooners and I am sure Urban Meyer hasn’t let them forget that this week. Facing the Army option can be tough, but the Knights have relied heavily on just two ball carries, which makes it a little easier for Ohio State to plan for. Look for Army to really struggle on offense in this one. The Ohio State offense may not be great either. The Buckeyes struggled for a half against Indiana and a whole game against Oklahoma. I wouldn’t think it’s a slam dunk for the Buckeyes to hit 40 points and carry the total. I am going to side with the under in this one.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL PREDICTION: ARMY/OHIO STATE UNDER 53