Oregon vs. Ohio State 2021 College Football Week 2 Odds and Preview

By Hank Blaine • September 8, 2021

It’s been an intense first week of college football. As we make our way to the second set of games, we take a closer look at the Oregon Ducks traveling to Ohio to face the Buckeyes. In their first game of the season, the hosts performed well against Minnesota and secured a 45-31 victory. Meanwhile, the Ducks also had a great start, claiming a 31 to 24 victory over Fresno State. Only one team gets out of the game with a chance at forming a winning stream, making this a must-watch for football fans.

Saturday will also represent the 10th meeting between Ohio State and Oregon. OSU State leads the series, 9-0. They last played in the first-ever CFP national title game in January 2015 and the Buckeyes won 42-20. This will be Oregon’s sixth visit to Columbus. Covid eliminated the 2020 game, which would have been Ohio State’s first visit to Eugene.

NitroBetting covers some of the most anticipated games in Week 2 of the 2021 NCAA football season, and we make sure you are well-informed from start to finish. That said, we bring you a preview of the Oregon vs. Ohio State game, which features event details, team and player stats, the latest betting odds, betting trends, and our very own expert betting predictions. Be sure to check the latest 2021 College Football odds at out online Bitcoin sportsbook.

Oregon Ducks vs. Ohio State Buckeyes Game Information

When: Saturday, September 4, 2021, 8:00 PM ET
Where: Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio
TV: FOX
Radio: KUJZ 95.3 FM (Oregon) / WBNS/Columbus 1460 AM (Ohio State)
Live Stream: FOX Sports Live
College Football Odds: Oregon (+469) / Oregon State (-625)

Why Bet on the Oregon Ducks?

Oregon escaped a good Fresno State team last Saturday 31-24 and lost superstar defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux to an ankle injury in the first half – he might be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. Thibodeaux had two tackles, a sack and a forced fumble before the injury. It’s not clear as of this writing if he can play Saturday. This writer doubts it.

For what it’s worth, Thibodeaux was still listed as a starter on the weekly depth chart Oregon released Monday. Linebacker Dru Mathis won’t play as he suffered a leg injury vs. FSU. After Mathis went down, second-year freshman Justin Flowe had 13 of his 14 tackles with one for loss and forced a fumble. The 14 tackles were the most by an Oregon freshman since 2016. The Ducks played 24 total freshmen in the 2021 season opener.

The Ducks weren’t great offensively against Fresno State but scored 17 points off turnovers and recovered three fumbles. Oregon hadn’t done that in a regular-season game since 2013. QB Anthony Brown was 15-of-24 for 172 yards and TD to go with 16 carries for 56 yards and a TD in his Ducks starting debut.

Oregon will travel to Ohio a day earlier than usual for a regular-season road game, departing from Eugene on Thursday. The Ducks are 8-40-1 all-time against top-five opponents. Since 2010, Oregon holds an 87-21 record as a ranked team while going 27-19 against ranked opponents.

Why Bet on the Ohio State Buckeyes?

Ohio State has the advantage of extra rest – not to mention the game is at noon ET, which is 10 a.m. Pacific time for Oregon – as the Buckeyes played last Thursday and rallied for a 45-31 win over Minnesota.

In his first career start at quarterback, CJ Stroud had four TD passes and 294 yards. He was a bit off in the first half but blew up in the second. His scoring tosses went for 38, 56, 70 and 61 yards and in the second half he was 5-for-8 passing for 236 yards with all four TDs and no interceptions.

Wide receiver Chris Olave had four receptions for 117 yards and two touchdowns. He might be the best wideout in the country. It was the seventh multi-TD game of Olave’s career and moved him into a tie for fifth place in career touchdown receptions with Brian Robiskie (24).

All six of Ohio State’s touchdowns covered 30 yards or more, including one by the defense (a 32-yard fumble return by Haskell Garrett). OSU averaged 10.3 yards per play in the win and had four plays that covered 50 yards or more – the most of any team last weekend. The 10.3 yards per play were a school record. The Nuts appear to have gotten out of that game without any major injuries.

Incidentally, this marks the 100th anniversary of games at Ohio Stadium for the Buckeyes. Their first game there was a 5-0 victory over Ohio Wesleyan on Oct. 7, 1922.

Oregon vs. Ohio State Betting Trends

Ducks are 3-8 ATS in their last 11 non-conference games.
Ducks are 1-7 ATS in their last 8 games as a road underdog.
The total went under in 4 of Oregon’s last 5 games.
Buckeyes are 12-2-1 ATS in their last 15 vs. Pac-12.
Buckeyes are 4-0-1 ATS in their last 5 games in September.
The total went over in 6 of Ohio State’s last 7 games.

Oregon vs. Ohio State Expert Betting Predictions

CJ Stroud’s performance will be crucial as they host Oregon on Saturday. If he can deliver the same quality as he did last game, Oregon’s defense might be in trouble. The Buckeyes enter the game as favorites and are sure to utilize home-field advantage this time around. However, it’s difficult to overlook the Ducks in this situation. After winning their first game of the season, they have the pace and energy to force a close game and cover the spread. In fact, a win is not off the table here. Either way, everyone is excited to see how the game unfolds.

Check out our latest sports betting guides for the 2021 College Football season. Stay tuned for more Football previews and articles and don’t forget to check out the latest Football betting odds at our online Bitcoin sportsbook.

*All odds stated are subject to change without prior notice.