Buckeyes Open Up As 50.5-Point Favorites Vs Akron - Could It Be OSU's Largest Line Ever?

Late May is now upon us, which means a couple of things — first, the early-season kickoff times for the Buckeyes should be announced this week; and second, some gambling lines are now out for week zero and week one of the college football season.

To perhaps no surprise, Ohio State’s matchup in week one with Akron features the largest line of the week as the Buckeyes open as a 50.5-point favorite per BetOnline.ag.

If that line holds — or grows — it would likely be just the second time ever that the Buckeyes have been favored by at least 50 points in a game. The last time it happened was 2019 when Ohio State was a 52.5-point favorite at Rutgers. The Buckeyes won that game 56-21 but didn’t cover, mostly thanks to Greg Schiano pulling out all of the stops — and then somehow pulling them out again.

We can pretty safely assume that was the only 50-point line in Buckeye football history. Noted college football magazine magnate Phil Steele has lines back to 1976, which should suffice since most of the giant lines have come against terrible non-conference opponents and OSU has really only been playing terrible non-conference opponents since the 1990s.

The 1916 matchup with Oberlin — which was won by Ohio State 128-0 — may be the exception, but local bookie records have not yet been uploaded to the internet to confirm. Until then, we’ll trust Phil Steele and his nearly 50 years of records.

Assorted Notes

Games Where Ohio State Has Been Favored By 40 Points Or More

1979: -40.5 vs. Northwestern | Ohio State won 16-7
1981: -40 vs. Northwestern | Ohio State won 70-6
1983: -40 vs. Northwestern | Ohio State won 55-7
1999: -43 vs. Ohio | Ohio State won 40-16
2009: -44 vs. New Mexico State | Ohio State won 45-0
2010: -44.5 vs. Eastern Michigan | Ohio State won 73-20
2013: -49.5 vs. Florida A&M | Ohio State won 76-0
2015: -41 vs. Hawaii | Ohio State won 38-0
2017: -40.5 vs UNLV | Ohio State won 54-21
2017: -41 vs. Illinois | Ohio State won 52-14
2019: -42.5 vs. Maryland | Ohio State won 73-14
2019: -52.5 at Rutgers | Ohio State won 56-21
2021: -48.5 vs. Akron | Ohio State won 59-7
2022: -44.5 vs. Arkansas State | Ohio State won 45-12
2022: -40 vs. Rutgers | Ohio State won 49-10
2022: -40.5 vs. Indiana | Ohio State won 56-14
2023: -44.5 vs. Youngstown State | Ohio State won 35-7
Note: Some books have slightly different lines.

Lines Versus Akron This Century

2001 – Ohio State -25 (L)
OSU won 28-14
2007 – Ohio State -29 (L)
OSU won 20-2
2011 – Ohio State -31.5 (W)
OSU won 42-0
2021 – Ohio State -48.5 (W)
OSU won 59-7

Lines Versus Western Michigan This Century

2015 – Ohio State -32.5 (L)
OSU won 38-12

Lines Versus Marshall This Century

2004 – Ohio State -16.5 (L)
OSU won 24-21

Number Of Times Ohio State Has Been A Double-Digit Dog Since 1976

1988 +10.5 at Iowa | Ohio State 24 – Iowa 24
1988 +12 vs. Michigan | Michigan 34 – Ohio State 31
1989 +13 at Michigan | Michigan 28 – Ohio State 18
1991 +14 at Michigan | Michigan 31 – Ohio State 3
1992 +10.5 at Syracuse | Ohio State 35 – Syracuse 12
1994 +13 at Penn State | Penn State 63 – Ohio State 14
1999 +11 at Penn State | Penn State 23 – Ohio State 10
1999 +11 at Michigan | Michigan 24 – Ohio State 17
2002 +11.5 vs. Miami, Fl | Ohio State 31 – Miami 24 (2OT)
2008 +12 at USC | USC 35 – Ohio State 3
Note: Good luck finding somebody with fewer than OSU’s 10 games as a double-digit underdog since 1976. (And it ain’t Alabama.)

Here’s the full list of game lines for weeks 0 and 1, courtesy of BenOnline.ag.

Saturday, Aug 24, 2024

Florida State (-13½) vs Georgia Tech
SMU (-22) at Nevada

Thursday, Aug 29, 2024

North Carolina at Minnesota (-1½)
Coastal Carolina at Jacksonville State (-5)
North Dakota State at Colorado (-8½)

Friday, Aug 30, 2024

Temple at Oklahoma (-39½)
TCU (-11) at Stanford

Saturday, Aug 31, 2024

Western Michigan at Wisconsin (-23)
Florida International at Indiana (-18½)
Kent State at Pittsburgh (-23)
Connecticut at Maryland (-24½)
Kennesaw State at UTSA (-21½)
Clemson vs Georgia (-13)
Eastern Michigan at Massachusetts (-1)
Ohio at Syracuse (-14½)
Georgia State at Georgia Tech (-20½)
Old Dominion at South Carolina (-17)
James Madison (-10) at Charlotte
Penn State (-10) at West Virginia
Boise State (-10½) at Georgia Southern
Southern Miss at Kentucky (-25)
Florida Atlantic at Michigan State (-11)
Akron at Ohio State (-50½)
New Mexico at Arizona (-30)
Wyoming at Arizona State (-7)
Miami Florida (-3½) at Florida
Colorado State at Texas (-36½)
UTEP at Nebraska (-28)
Miami Ohio at Northwestern (-3)
UNLV at Houston (-3)
North Texas at South Alabama (-6½)
Nevada at Troy (-15½)
Virginia Tech (-13½) at Vanderbilt
Sam Houston St at Rice (-12)
UCLA (-17) at Hawaii
Western Kentucky at Alabama (-32½)
Fresno State at Michigan (-20½)
Notre Dame at Texas A&M (-1)