It's Ohio State's bye week.
It's a time for head coach Ryan Day to sit back, relax and, as he said on his radio show yesterday, ""I'll get to watch it, be a fan a little bit. Watch them get tortured a bit."
So which games will he be watching? Here's three three likely choices as Ohio State rests up for the second half of 2021.
(Picks are from FanDuel as of Oct. 15)
Indiana vs. No. 10 Michigan State: 12 p.m., FS1
On his radio show Thursday, this was a game Day said he would already be keeping an eye on. Ohio State will face the Hoosiers and the Spartans in the second half of the season, including a night date against Indiana Oct. 23. It's also a chance for the No. 3 offense in the Big Ten — Michigan State, which averaged 36.7 points in the Big Ten with its high-profile run game led by Kenneth Walker III — and the worst defense in the conference: an Indiana defense that allows 28.2 points per game. While the Spartans defense has struggled mightily as well, allowing 420.5 yards per game and 5.1 yards per play, Indiana's offense has been extremely underwhelming too as one of four teams in the Big Ten to average less than five yards per play. This game seems on the path of a shootout, but one that Michigan State seems on the path to win. On the road, this would be a good stopping point for the Spartans as they head into their bye week. It will also give Ohio State a good idea of what both the Michigan State offense looks like against a team its about to face, along with what the Indiana defense looks like against a potent offense.
My pick: Michigan State -3.5
No. 2 Iowa vs. Purdue: 3:30 p.m., ABC
Will Iowa run the table in the Big Ten West? It sure seems like it. The rest of the Hawkeyes' schedule are against Big Ten West teams with the combined record of 12-15 heading into Week 7. But this Purdue team doesn't look like too much of a pushover, coming in as the No. 3 defense in the Big Ten with opponents averaging 4.8 yards per play and 15.4 points per game, allowing eight touchdowns all season, tied for least in the conference with Penn State and Wisconsin. Iowa's offense, led by QB Spencer Petras, hasn't exactly been potent, sitting as the worst offense statistically in the conference. Will Purdue beat Iowa on the road? Probably not, but I think this could provide a road map for how to beat Iowa if Ohio State ever has the chance to play the Hawkeyes in the Big Ten Championship. Also, keep an eye on the Purdue passing game. The Boilermakers, led by Aidan O'Connell after Jack Plummer was benched, hold the No. 2 pass offense in the Big Ten, averaging 325.4 passing yards per game.
My pick: Purdue +11.5
No. 1 Georgia vs. No. 11 Kentucky: 3:30 p.m., CBS
Georgia's defense is leaps and bounds better than any defense college football has seen in recent memory. I mean these stats are absurd: 201.2 yards allowed per game, 3.56 yards allowed per game, two touchdowns allowed. I mean come on. But Kentucky's offense has been no slouch either, averaging 411.83 yards per game and 31 points per game. It's a run game led by Christopher Rodriguez Jr., that's averaged 128 yards per game and has scored five of the Wildcats' 12 rushing touchdowns. But it's the Wildcats' defense that makes this game interesting on a national scale. Kentucky has allowed 17.5 points per game and 12 total touchdowns — not comparable to Georgia, but enough to give the Bulldogs problems. Even if Georgia wins this game, I think this is a game that Day and those coaches hoping for a chance at a title will look at to plan for a matchup.
My pick: Kentucky +21.5
After a 4-4 start with my picks against the spread, here are five more games to pick.
No. 25 Texas vs. No. 12 Oklahoma State: 12 p.m., Fox — Oklahoma State +4.5
No. 3 Cincinnati vs. UCF: 12 p.m., ABC — UCF +21.5
Boston College vs. No. 22 NC State: 7:30 p.m., ACC Network — Boston College +2.5
Missouri vs. No. 21 Texas A&M: 12 p.m., SEC Network — Texas A&M -9.5
Mississippi State vs No. 5 Alabama: 7 p.m., ESPN — Alabama -17.5
It's a time for head coach Ryan Day to sit back, relax and, as he said on his radio show yesterday, ""I'll get to watch it, be a fan a little bit. Watch them get tortured a bit."
So which games will he be watching? Here's three three likely choices as Ohio State rests up for the second half of 2021.
(Picks are from FanDuel as of Oct. 15)
Indiana vs. No. 10 Michigan State: 12 p.m., FS1
On his radio show Thursday, this was a game Day said he would already be keeping an eye on. Ohio State will face the Hoosiers and the Spartans in the second half of the season, including a night date against Indiana Oct. 23. It's also a chance for the No. 3 offense in the Big Ten — Michigan State, which averaged 36.7 points in the Big Ten with its high-profile run game led by Kenneth Walker III — and the worst defense in the conference: an Indiana defense that allows 28.2 points per game. While the Spartans defense has struggled mightily as well, allowing 420.5 yards per game and 5.1 yards per play, Indiana's offense has been extremely underwhelming too as one of four teams in the Big Ten to average less than five yards per play. This game seems on the path of a shootout, but one that Michigan State seems on the path to win. On the road, this would be a good stopping point for the Spartans as they head into their bye week. It will also give Ohio State a good idea of what both the Michigan State offense looks like against a team its about to face, along with what the Indiana defense looks like against a potent offense.
My pick: Michigan State -3.5
No. 2 Iowa vs. Purdue: 3:30 p.m., ABC
Will Iowa run the table in the Big Ten West? It sure seems like it. The rest of the Hawkeyes' schedule are against Big Ten West teams with the combined record of 12-15 heading into Week 7. But this Purdue team doesn't look like too much of a pushover, coming in as the No. 3 defense in the Big Ten with opponents averaging 4.8 yards per play and 15.4 points per game, allowing eight touchdowns all season, tied for least in the conference with Penn State and Wisconsin. Iowa's offense, led by QB Spencer Petras, hasn't exactly been potent, sitting as the worst offense statistically in the conference. Will Purdue beat Iowa on the road? Probably not, but I think this could provide a road map for how to beat Iowa if Ohio State ever has the chance to play the Hawkeyes in the Big Ten Championship. Also, keep an eye on the Purdue passing game. The Boilermakers, led by Aidan O'Connell after Jack Plummer was benched, hold the No. 2 pass offense in the Big Ten, averaging 325.4 passing yards per game.
My pick: Purdue +11.5
No. 1 Georgia vs. No. 11 Kentucky: 3:30 p.m., CBS
Georgia's defense is leaps and bounds better than any defense college football has seen in recent memory. I mean these stats are absurd: 201.2 yards allowed per game, 3.56 yards allowed per game, two touchdowns allowed. I mean come on. But Kentucky's offense has been no slouch either, averaging 411.83 yards per game and 31 points per game. It's a run game led by Christopher Rodriguez Jr., that's averaged 128 yards per game and has scored five of the Wildcats' 12 rushing touchdowns. But it's the Wildcats' defense that makes this game interesting on a national scale. Kentucky has allowed 17.5 points per game and 12 total touchdowns — not comparable to Georgia, but enough to give the Bulldogs problems. Even if Georgia wins this game, I think this is a game that Day and those coaches hoping for a chance at a title will look at to plan for a matchup.
My pick: Kentucky +21.5
After a 4-4 start with my picks against the spread, here are five more games to pick.
No. 25 Texas vs. No. 12 Oklahoma State: 12 p.m., Fox — Oklahoma State +4.5
No. 3 Cincinnati vs. UCF: 12 p.m., ABC — UCF +21.5
Boston College vs. No. 22 NC State: 7:30 p.m., ACC Network — Boston College +2.5
Missouri vs. No. 21 Texas A&M: 12 p.m., SEC Network — Texas A&M -9.5
Mississippi State vs No. 5 Alabama: 7 p.m., ESPN — Alabama -17.5
