After surrendering only six points across the team's first pair of games, Ohio State emerged from its bye week as a 40.5-point favorite against the Marshall Thundering Herd ahead of only the third-ever meeting between the schools next Saturday.
While the line opened at 40.5 points, it dropped across several sportsbooks after opening. As of 3 p.m. Sunday, the line sat at 39.5 on DraftKings and 38.5 on FanDuel.
The projected margin represents the second-largest spread the Buckeyes have seen in favor of themselves so far this season. Ohio State currently owns a 1-1 record against the spread after failing to cover an ambitious 48.5 points against Akron in the opener before successfully winning by more than 37.5 points against Western Michigan the following week.
Meanwhile, the total opened at 51.5, the lowest for a Buckeye football game so far in the 2024 campaign. Despite the shallow tally projected between the teams, overs have narrowly cashed in each of Ohio State's games so far by 1.5 points in each contest.
Marshall has covered the spread in their first two games despite serving as more than 30-point favorites against Stony Brook and three-touchdown underdogs against Virginia Tech. The under also took shape in each of those games.
Ohio State's 2010 meeting with Marshall resulted in a 45-7 victory for the Buckeyes that saw OSU cover a spread of four touchdowns and an over on a projected total of 47 points. The infamous previous meeting with the Thundering Herd that ended with the signature moment of Mike Nugent's college career saw the Buckeyes fail to cover a 17-point spread in a 24-21 victory and an over that cashed as time expired by a single point.
Ryan Day and the OSU football team will take the field next Saturday at midday in what will somewhat surprisingly serve as FOX's Big Noon Kickoff game.
SEE YOU SOON COLUMBUS
— Big Noon Kickoff (@BNKonFOX) September 14, 2024
Big Noon Kickoff will be LIVE from Columbus ahead of @OhioStateFB vs @HerdFB on September 21st pic.twitter.com/7aBNaiNk1C
