Ohio State Title Odds Stay High Amid Quarterback Chaos

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Ohio State Remains a National Title Favorite Despite Quarterback Uncertainty

With Julian Sayin expected to miss most of the remaining season, Ohio State faces a major question at quarterback. Will Luke Fahey take over, or could Tavien St. Clair get the opportunity? St. Clair has plenty of attributes, but Fahey was the quarterback who entered the game.

Despite that uncertainty, the betting markets still view Ohio State as one of the leading national championship contenders. FanDuel listed Georgia at +470, with Ohio State and Notre Dame tied at +500. Other sportsbooks had Ohio State as the favorite.

That confidence is notable because quarterback is typically the position that most affects a point spread. Ohio State could turn to a true freshman while facing a schedule that includes USC, Oregon, ranked Northwestern, Nebraska and Michigan. Even so, the Buckeyes remain within the margin of error of being the national championship favorite.

The larger question is which team deserves to be favored. Georgia lost at home to Auburn as a 19-point favorite. Notre Dame lost at BYU as a 10.5-point favorite and has shown some issues. Ohio State lost its starting quarterback, has a banged-up running back room and has dealt with injuries along the offensive line.

Other contenders also have concerns. Indiana lost at home to Ohio State, even if the difference was only a footstep. Miami needed double overtime and a fortunate holding call to beat a Florida State team fighting to reach a bowl game. Alabama was exposed in a road loss to Tennessee and now has two losses.

Ole Miss appears to be good, but its upcoming line as an underdog at Texas is concerning and could leave the team with two losses. Some respected observers are also buying into LSU’s rise, but LSU already has two losses and faces a challenging November schedule. There is a real possibility that LSU could miss the playoff.

Given the uncertainty across the country, Ohio State’s roster talent keeps the Buckeyes near the top regardless of whether Fahey or St. Clair plays quarterback. The rest of the national picture is defined by a collective shrug because no contender has separated itself.

Even unusual playoff scenarios remain possible. Three Big 12 teams could potentially make the field. If Utah beats BYU, BYU could finish 11-1 with a win over Notre Dame. Utah could then lose the Big 12 championship to an undefeated Texas Tech. The possibility of scenarios like that makes the season chaotic and fascinating.

There may also be a national perception that losing Sayin is not a major problem because Ohio State will simply be fine. However, one DraftKings oddsmaker said he dropped Ohio State by 4.5 points in his personal power ratings after the loss of Sayin. That is only one oddsmaker’s opinion rather than the view of the entire market, but it illustrates the potential impact of the quarterback change.