Ohio State is favored at sports betting companies to win the Big 10 this season. The Buckeyes returns quarterback Terrelle Pryor who was picked as the preseason offensive player of the year. Ohio State has won at least a share of the Big 10 title for the last five seasons and unless Iowa or Wisconsin can surprise in sports betting, the Buckeyes should win another title.
Sports betting companies will likely favor Ohio State in all of their games this season. That doesn’t mean the Buckeyes will win all of their games but they will be getting a lot of respect from the odds makers. Ohio State was picked in the Big 10’s preseason media poll to win the conference title this season followed by Iowa and Wisconsin.
Iowa is capable of challenging the Buckeyes as they return a lot of starters from last year’s team that won the Orange Bowl. Wisconsin returns even more starters than Iowa including running back John Clay. Wisconsin also has Scott Tolzien returning at quarterback and he is capable of impacting sports betting odds this season. The Badgers will have a big say in who wins the conference as they host Ohio State on October 16th. The Buckeyes will go to Iowa City in late November in the other key game in the conference in 2010.
Ohio State plays only one tough non-conference game as they host Miami of Florida on September 11th. Their other non-conference games are cupcakes as they play Marshall, Ohio and Eastern Michigan. The Ohio State defense a year ago was fifth best in the country. It should be very solid again this season. One reason it was so good was turnover margin as they were fifth best in the country at 1.31 per game.
The game early in the season against Miami is a potential land mine for the Buckeyes. Miami has a very good quarterback in Jacory Harris who could give Ohio State some trouble. If the Buckeyes get past that game they will have two more tough tests at Wisconsin and Iowa later in the season. Everything points to the Buckeyes have a great season and it is not out of the question for them to run the table in 2010.