Betting Line For Next Season's Michigan-Ohio State Game Is Already Out
01/21/2025 11:20 AM
Ohio State is celebrating a national championship, but the program will eventually turn its attention back to beating Michigan.
On Nov. 30, the Wolverines stunned the Buckeyes by upsetting their arch-nemesis at Ohio Stadium. Ryan Day's team responded with a dominant College Football Playoff run that should erase any sour memories of The Game.
Yet that will change when the Big Ten rivals meet again at Ann Arbor to end the 2025 regular season. Even as defending champions, Ohio State will face pressure to halt a four-game losing streak to Michigan.
Before Mercedes-Benz Stadium cleaned the confetti from Monday night's post-game celebration, FanDuel Sportsbook opened the betting market for next season's Ohio State/Michigan game. The Buckeyes are 9.5-point favorites to end the head-to-head drought.
Of course, Vegas whiffed badly on the last line. Ohio State was a 20.5-point favorite to throttle Michigan, but the Wolverines instead left Columbus with a 13-10 victory.
Will Howard threw two interceptions, and Sherrone Moore's defense stymied star receiver Jeremiah Smith to 35 yards. The upset removed Ohio State from the Big Ten title picture and had pundits calling for Ryan Day's job.
Michigan planting its flag at Ohio Stadium also may have awakened a sleeping giant.
"I think in that moment that kind of gave us a little spark," Buckeyes running back Quinshon Judkins said before the National Championship Game. "Like, definitely, I would say it made us want to go harder, man, and realize, OK, like that was super disrespectful. I think it made a lot of guys wake up in that moment."
A lot can change in a few weeks. The Buckeyes won four CFP games by a combined 70 points. Howard completed 75.2 percent of his passes for 1,150 yards and eight touchdowns.
While Howard completed his final year of collegiate eligibility, Smith will return for his sophomore season to lead a Buckeyes offense potentially helmed by former five-star quarterback Julian Sayin.
Ohio State and Michigan have arguably the biggest rivalry in college sports, but the Buckeyes again eye grander aspirations next season. They're +450 favorites over Texas and Oregon (+650 each) to win another national title.
Related: Ohio State Star Says Michigan Loss Was 'Spark' For Playoff Run
