National Football League

College football odds Week 13: 3 reasons to bet on Ohio State to beat Michigan

Published Nov. 21, 2022 10:19 p.m. ET

It's rivalry week in college football, and no game looms larger in both history and present-day importance than No. 3 Michigan at No. 2 Ohio State. The two will face off in the 118th edition of "The Game" at noon ET Saturday on FOX and the FOX Sports App.

Both teams enter undefeated for the first time since 2006, and the winner will clinch a spot in the Big Ten championship game. More importantly, the winner will have an inside track into the College Football Playoff.

The Buckeyes and their fans will also have revenge on their minds in Columbus after Michigan snapped Ohio State's eight-year rivalry win streak in Ann Arbor last season.

Can Ohio State avenge last season's loss and seal a potential Heisman Trophy campaign for quarterback C.J. Stroud? FOX Sports betting analyst Sam Panayotovich thinks so, and he has three reasons why you should bet on the Buckeyes this weekend.

Let's dive in, with odds via FOX Bet.

1. Blake Corum is banged up

Michigan’s best offensive player left Saturday’s game against Illinois with an obvious knee injury. While the star running back returned, he rushed one more time for five yards, then exited for good.

It’s impossible to know Corum’s true status — college coaches sit on this stuff all the time — but there’s no way he is anywhere near 100%. Corum headlines a very strong running attack that is the baseline for everything the Wolverines do offensively. Everything gets tougher with him hurt.

Even if Corum plays, I would not expect much from him, which is a huge blow to the Wolverines' hopes.

Ohio State and Michigan both 11-0 heading into 'The Game'

Joel Klatt touches on Michigan RB Blake Corum's status heading into the "The Game" and explains why Ohio State may have an advantage.

2. Ohio State has two future NFL stars at wide receiver

Jaxon Smith-Njigba is probably not walking through that door. The star wideout hasn’t played since the Buckeyes faced Iowa on Oct. 22, and I cannot imagine he will be in the lineup for "The Game" this weekend.

But fellow Ohio State receivers Marvin Harrison Jr. and Emeka Egbuka are matchup nightmares for any secondary. It also helps that college football’s best quarterback, Stroud, throws them the ball. My FOX Sports teammate Joel Klatt feels rather strongly about Harrison’s ability and potential.

This one could get ugly if Stroud and that offense take an early lead.

3. The Buckeyes have waited for this game all season

Michigan knocked Ohio State out of a berth in last year’s College Football Playoff in one of the most surprising upsets of the entire season.

Coach Ryan Day and his team have had a full calendar year to stew on it, and you know this date has been circled on the team's schedule since spring ball. Michigan dominated the line of scrimmage on both sides a year ago, but this year’s Wolverines squad isn’t as physical. A repeat of last season is very unlikely, especially with the Buckeyes playing this one at home and salivating at the chance to avenge last year’s loss.

I refuse to overthink it.

PICK: Ohio State (-8 at FOX Bet) to win by more than 8 points

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