Ohio State vs. Indiana 2021 College Football Week 8 Odds, Preview & Pick

Don’t look now, but No. 5 Ohio State is right back in the national championship picture despite an early-season home loss to Oregon. The Nuts should have little trouble winning at disappointing Indiana in Big Ten action on Saturday as long as they aren’t looking ahead.

This has been one of the nation’s most lopsided rivalries for decades, although Indiana has at least made things interesting of late. Ohio State leads 76-12-5 and has won 25 straight vs. IU. The Hoosiers’ last victory was 41-7 in 1988.

Before everything else, NitroBetting arms you with everything you need to kick things off on a positive note. Below, we provide event details, team and player statistics, and the latest NCAAF odds. More than that, we go the extra mile and share timely betting trends and predictions that help you secure the best picks. Check out for more sports betting odds and lines, exclusively at our online BTC sportsbook.

Ohio State vs. Indiana Game Information

• When: Saturday, October 16, 2021, 7:30 PM ET
• Where: Memorial Stadium , Bloomington, Indiana
• TV: ABC
• Radio: 1460 AM (Ohio State) / 100.7 The Fox (Indiana)
• Live Stream: FOX Sports Live
• College Football Odds: Ohio State Buckeyes (-21) / Indiana Hoosiers (+21)

Why Bet on the Ohio State Buckeyes?

Ohio State (5-1) might be caught looking ahead to next week’s matchup with No. 7 Penn State. The Buckeyes crushed Maryland 66-17 in their last game on Oct. 9. The Buckeyes are averaging 54.5 points in the last four games and are giving up just 14.2. They have outscored their past three by a combined 152-40.

The Buckeyes defense, after allowing an average of 471.3 yards and 28.7 points through the first three games of the season, has lowered those averages in the last three weeks to current cumulative averages of 387.3 yards and 20.5 points.

Led by QB CJ Stroud, OSU ranks nationally No. 1 in total offense (562.7), No. 2 in scoring (48.5), No. 8 in passing (352.2) and No. 22 in rushing (211.0). The Buckeyes are riding a nation’s-best 11-game winning streak in true road games. They have 10 consecutive Big Ten road wins by double digits, a conference record. Coming off a bye, OSU has won 14 consecutive regular season games with two weeks to prepare, including three wins on the road.

Redshirt freshman running back Miyan Williams is expected to return. Williams earned the Wek 1 start against Minnesota and led the team in rushing with 125 yards while averaging 13.9 yards per carry. However, he was injured in OSU’s Week 2 loss to Oregon and has not been able to play since then. Williams will now back up star freshman TreVeyon Henderson.

Why Bet on the Indiana Hoosiers?

Last year, Indiana was ranked ninth and Ohio State third when OSU won 42-35 at home. The Hoosiers were down 35-7 early in the third quarter before rallying. The Hoosiers last possession started deep in their own territory with 38 seconds left and ended with a desperation lateral play that never crossed midfield. Buckeyes QB Justin Fields totaled three scores but had three picks and was sacked five times. Indiana QB Michael Penix Jr. threw for career-high 491 yards and five touchdowns.

Indiana (2-4) will be playing its fifth ranked team of the season and third in a row, and IU has lost all four. Last week, IU held No. 10 Michigan State to 20 points, 100 rushing yards, 141 passing yards, and 241 total yards but lost 20-15. MSU came into the game averaging 36.7 points, 217.2 rushing, 269.7 passing, and 486.8 total yards.

Penix Jr. was out injured at QB for Indiana and Jack Tuttle completed 28-of-52 passes for 188 yards, zero touchdowns and two interceptions. Fellow QB Donaven McCulley became the seventh true freshmen to take the field this year. He didn’t attempt a pass but ran twice for eight yards.

It’s not clear if Penix will play this week and we’d expect Tuttle to start. The Indiana offense has struggled all year because it lacks dynamic playmakers. The one player the Hoosiers had with big play ability, wide receiver D.J. Matthews, was lost for the season. Fellow receiver Ty Fryfogle reached 2,000 career yards in the MSU loss, the 11th Hoosier to reach 2,000 receiving.