Unranked Marshall heads to Columbus to face #3 Ohio State at 12:00 PM ET on Saturday on FOX. Can the Buckeyes cover the 40-point spread as home favorites this weekend? Keep reading for our Marshall vs. Ohio State betting prediction.
Marshall is 1-1 straight up this season and 2-0 against the spread. Their only win came against Stony Brook and their only loss came against Virginia Tech.
Ohio State is 2-0 straight up this season and 1-1 against the spread. Their best win came against Western Michigan, and they have yet to lose a game this season.
Marshall vs. Ohio State Matchup & Betting Odds
317 Marshall Thundering Herd (+40) at 318 Ohio State Buckeyes (-40); o/u 52.5
12:00 p.m. ET, Saturday, September 21, 2024
Ohio Stadium, Columbus, OH
TV: FOX
Marshall vs. Ohio State Public Betting Prediction
As of this writing, our CFB Public Betting page shows that 90% of bets are on Ohio State. That said, this page is updated frequently so make sure that you click on the link provided so that you’re getting the most updated information.
Marshall Thundering Herd Game Notes
Marshall running back A.J. Turner had a big game in his team’s 31-14 loss to Virginia Tech on September 7th. In that game, the sophomore from Hampton, VA logged 6 carries for 103 yards. Turner leads the Thundering Herd in rushing this season with 222 yards on just 14 carries.
Thundering Herd wide receiver Christian Fitzpatrick also played well in his team’s loss to Virginia Tech. The 6’4” Michigan State transfer caught 4 passes for 73 yards and a touchdown. Fitzpatrick leads Marshall in receptions (8) and receiving yards (170) through 2 games of action this year.
Ohio State Buckeyes Game Notes
Ohio State wide receiver Reis Stocksdale, offensive lineman Devontae Armstrong, and safety Jayden Bonsu are all listed as questionable for Saturday’s game with undisclosed injuries. Armstrong and Bonsu are both freshmen and both players are listed as third-stringers at their respective positions on the team’s depth chart.
Buckeyes running back TC Caffey won’t play Saturday due to a severe knee injury. He’ll likely be out the entire season with said knee injury. Caffey had 10 carries for 66 yards and a touchdown for the Buckeyes in 2022.
With Caffey out of the mix, Ohio State freshman running backs James Peoples and Sam Williams-Dixon will slide into the third and fourth spots on the depth chart. TreVeyon Henderson is the starting running back and Quinshon Judkins is the second-string running back for Ohio State this year.
Marshall vs. Ohio State Betting Trends
Marshall is 4-2 ATS in their last 6 games overall.
The Thundering Herd are 13-8 ATS as the road team since the start of the 2020 season.
Ohio State is 1-3 ATS in their last 4 games overall.
Ohio State is 6-9-1 ATS in non-conference games since the start of the 2020 season.
Marshall vs. Ohio State Betting Prediction
Marshall lost to Virginia Tech 31-14 on September 7th. The Thundering Herd’s offense looked bad in that game. Marshall quarterback Stone Earle only completed 13 of 36 passes for 131 yards, 1 touchdown, and 1 interception. He posted an abysmal QBR of 15.5 in the loss. The good news is that Marshall had a bye week last Saturday, and they likely prepared quarterback Braylon Braxton to play against Ohio State on Saturday.
Braxton is a Tulsa transfer who offers a more dynamic skill set than Stone Earle. In limited action this season, Braylon Braxton has completed 7 of 11 pass attempts for 141 yards and 2 touchdowns. He should get the starting nod on Saturday. If he does, I like Marshall’s chances to cover.
Some diehard college football fans may remember it was only 2 short years ago when the Thundering Herd knocked off Notre Dame in South Bend. Marshall kept the game within 40 points the last time they played Ohio State. The Buckeyes beat the Thundering Herd 45-7 in Columbus in September of 2010. I think Marshall can keep the game within that margin again on Saturday. I’m taking the Thundering heard plus the points on the road in this one.