Washington (10-3) vs Ohio State (12-1)
When: Tuesday, January 1st 2019
Where: Rose Bowl,
Pasadena, California
Time: 5:00 ET | TV: ESPN
Opening Odds: Ohio State -4.5/58.5
Since the College Football Playoffs started back in 2014, we’ve been robbed of the traditional Big Ten vs. Pac-12 Champion meeting in the Rose Bowl, as at least one of those teams have made it to the playoffs, or the Rose Bowl itself was a playoff setting. This year we get back to that tradition with the Ohio State Buckeyes meeting the Washington Huskies in the ‘Granddaddy of them all’ on New Year’s Day. Even though the Buckeyes finished 12-1, they were left out of the CFP mainly because of their ugly 29-point loss to Purdue after a 7-0. They ran the table the rest of the way, but the defense let teams like Nebraska and Maryland stay in the game until they throttled Michigan in the regular season finale as rare home dogs. Washington, along with the rest of the Pac-12, had a down season, but still managed to win the conference title by upsetting rival Washington State in Pullman, then holding off Utah in the championship game the next week. The running of Myles Gaskin and a solid defense saved their season as senior QB Jake Browning saw his production dip to 16 touchdowns and 10 picks in 2018. Both teams are making their 15th trip to the Rose Bowl with Ohio State 7-7 and Washington 7-6-1. This will serve as head coach Urban Meyer’s last game at Ohio State.
Despite the down season, Browning is the school’s all-time leader in career passing yardage (11,983) and touchdown passes (94) and now has one last chance to go out a winner, on the biggest stage. Gaskin is also the program’s all-time leader with 5,202 rushing yards and his 1,147 yards this season marked his fourth straight 1,000-yard campaign despite missing two games. The stout defense that ranked fifth in points allowed this season (15.5) and is led by linebacker Ben Burr-Kirven, who won the conferences Defensive Player of the Year Award with his 165 tackles and four forced fumbles. Sophomore cornerback Byron Murphy (four interceptions) and junior safety Taylor Rupp (two interceptions, five sacks) also contribute defensively.
The Ohio State offense was extremely prolific this season led by quarterback Dwayne Haskins, who completed 70.2 percent of his passes in his first season as a starter. His No. 1 target is a good one in Parris Campbell, who had 79 catches, 11 touchdowns), and is eight receiving yards away from a 1,000-yard season. The Buckeyes also posses a strong running game with sophomore back J.K. Dobbins (1,029 yards, nine touchdowns) and junior Mike Weber (858 yards, five scores). Sophomore defensive end Chase Young (9.5 sacks) and junior defensive tackle Dre’Mont Jones (8.5 sacks) lead a defensive unit that has allowed 200 points over the past six games.
This is supposed to be Urban Meyer’s swansong, so its only fitting that the Buckeyes cruise in this one, right? Not so fast. Washington’s defense will have a say in this one and with Browning and Gaskin on offense, the Huskies are still capable of generating points.
Pick: Washington +6.5
Betting Trends:
- Huskies are 4-9 ATS in their last 13 games after allowing less than 170 yards passing in their previous game.
- Huskies are 2-6 ATS in their last 8 games overall.
- Huskies are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games following a ATS win.
- Huskies are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games after allowing less than 100 yards rushing in their previous game.
- Huskies are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 non-conference games.
- Huskies are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games after scoring less than 20 points in their previous game.
- Huskies are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games after allowing less than 20 points in their previous game.
- Huskies are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games on grass.
- Buckeyes are 13-3-1 ATS in their last 17 vs. Pac-12.
- Buckeyes are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 bowl games.
- Buckeyes are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 neutral site games.
- Buckeyes are 6-2 ATS in their last 8 games in January.
- Buckeyes are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 Bowl games.
- Buckeyes are 38-18 ATS in their last 56 games on grass.
- Buckeyes are 2-6 ATS in their last 8 games following a straight up win of more than 20 points.
- Under is 9-1 in Huskies last 10 vs. a team with a winning record.
- Over is 4-1 in Huskies last 5 games after allowing less than 100 yards rushing in their previous game.
- Under is 4-1 in Huskies last 5 games following a straight up win.
- Under is 4-1 in Huskies last 5 neutral site games.
- Under is 8-2 in Huskies last 10 games after allowing less than 275 total yards in their previous game.
- Under is 10-3 in Huskies last 13 games overall.
- Under is 5-2 in Huskies last 7 games after allowing less than 170 yards passing in their previous game.
- Under is 10-4 in Huskies last 14 games on grass.
- Under is 9-4 in Huskies last 13 games following a ATS win.
- Under is 5-1 in Buckeyes last 6 games on grass.
- Over is 4-1 in Buckeyes last 5 games following a straight up win.
- Over is 9-3 in Buckeyes last 12 games following a straight up win of more than 20 points.
- Over is 9-3 in Buckeyes last 12 games after scoring more than 40 points in their previous game.
- Under is 5-2 in Buckeyes last 7 Bowl games.
- Over is 7-3 in Buckeyes last 10 games following a ATS win.
- Under is 7-3 in Buckeyes last 10 bowl games.
