Indiana vs Ohio State: 4 Player Props and Best Bet for Big Ten Title

Championship Weekend, Baby. Strap in. Over the last couple of weeks, I’ve given you my Best Bets in the Big Te,n and we’ve gone 4-3 in that timespan. Let’s see if we can make it a cool 8-3 with my best bets for Saturday’s Big Ten Title Game between the #2 Indiana Hoosiers and #1 Ohio State Buckeyes.

Saturday, September 5 at 12:00 PM	Spread	Money	Total
North Texas Mean Green	+40.5 (-113)		O 55.5 (-118)
Indiana Hoosiers	-40.5 (-110)		U 54.5 (-110)

Let’s start with some spice. There’s a very interesting component to this game. Whichever QB is more dominant and assuming that QB wins, will also most likely win the Heisman. So we definitely have to play some QB-focused player props.

The Buckeyes have not allowed more than 16 points all season, and that was to Illinois. There’s only been one game that they’ve allowed more than 300 yards of total offense. Usually, I avoid unders like the plague, but with how dominant they’ve been defensively, it’s hard for me not to seriously look at Mendoza’s under and lay it.

Fernando Mendoza (IU) – UNDER 231.5 passing yards

Despite my thinking Mendoza won’t hit his over, I do think one of his receivers will. IU has a lot of weapons, and they do a good job spreading the ball around. However, I don’t think they’ll have that kind of luck this weekend and will have to continuously go to 1-2 guys in bailout types of situations.

I look at one guy, Omar Cooper Jr., Cooper Jr. will be an NFL receiver. He has the body, speed, hands, and feet to play on Sunday for a long time (go back to the Penn St. game for the last point).

He leads the team in receiving, and I do not expect that to change this weekend. He will be Mendoza’s safety valve, and as long as he catches 4 balls at his average of 13.9 yards per catch, he hits this over.

Omar Cooper Jr. (IU) – OVER 54.5 Receiving Yards

Indiana has the #2-ranked defense in all of College Football. On average, they allow 172.5 yards through the air and 80 on the ground. However, they haven’t played a team like Ohio State that averages 267 yards through the air and 171.5 yards on the ground.

I do think it’s going to be a solid mix of run/pass for the Buckeyes on Sunday, and when that mix hits, Julian Sayin is going to hit his passing yard number.

Julian Sayin (OSU) – OVER 211.5 Passing Yards

Could we go the whole article without mentioning Jeremiah Smith? Absolutely not. Without question, a future first-round pick, the sophomore receiver has a chance to eclipse the 1k mark on Saturday with 58 yards receiving, which I think happens.

I think he’s the best receiver in the country, and one of the most explosive playmakers in College Football. However, if I think that, I’m sure everyone on the IU coaching staff thinks similarly. IU’s pass defense is no slouch, and like Mendoza, Sayin will need a safety valve. While it’s only two yards less, I think he looks towards Carnell Tate more often to help get Smith more looks.

Carnell Tate (OSU) – OVER 71.5 Receiving Yards

I’ve been saying it privately since week 3 and publicly for a month. Right now, Ohio State is a class above everyone else in College Football. They have the #1 defense, a top ten offense, and a real chance to be back-to-back national champions.

I give Indiana a lot of credit for the last two years, and Curt Cignetti should continue to be in the COY conversations, but Ohio State is just too much. Not only do they win, but they also cover.

Best Bet: Ohio State -4.5