No. 2 Ohio State is set to face off against No. 3 Oregon in what is expected to be an even matchup. One factor that might give the Ducks an advantage is the toll that long road trips can take on teams from the Big Ten conference.
With the Big Ten now spanning from coast to coast with its 18 teams, early indications suggest that travel time can impact performance. Teams traveling to play opponents at least two time zones away have struggled, with a combined 1-8 record in conference games. The lone victory came from Indiana, a team from the Eastern time zone, who won on the road against UCLA. Other teams, like Michigan and Southern California, found themselves on the losing end in games against Washington and Minnesota, respectively.
Despite the challenges posed by long road trips, Ohio State coach Ryan Day downplays the impact of time zone changes on his team. The upcoming game in Eugene, Oregon, with a 4:30 p.m. Pacific kickoff time (7:30 p.m. Eastern) aligns well with the Buckeyes’ regular schedule. Day emphasized that they will maintain their routine and approach the game like any other.
Looking ahead to the weekend’s matchups and betting lines from BetMGM Sportsbook, here are some key picks:
– Texas is favored to win against Oklahoma in the Red River Rivalry game, with a predicted score of 27-10.
– Oregon is expected to edge out Ohio State in a close game, with a projected score of 31-27.
– Penn State is favored over USC, with a predicted score of 28-24.
– Georgia is anticipated to dominate Mississippi State, with a projected score of 35-3.
– Alabama is predicted to defeat South Carolina with a score of 41-21.
– Tennessee is expected to bounce back against Florida with a score of 35-17.
– LSU is favored to win over Mississippi in a high-scoring game, with a predicted score of 28-23.
– Clemson is projected to continue its winning streak against Wake Forest, with a predicted score of 42-17.
– Notre Dame is anticipated to secure a victory against Stanford, with a projected score of 38-10.
– Iowa State is expected to narrowly defeat West Virginia with a score of 31-27.
– BYU is favored to win against Arizona with a score of 28-17.
– Arizona State is predicted to edge out Utah in a close game, with a projected score of 21-20.
– Boise State is anticipated to dominate Hawaii with a score of 49-14.
– Colorado is expected to narrowly defeat Kansas State with a score of 33-31.
– Missouri is favored to win against UMass with a score of 42-6.
– Pittsburgh is anticipated to continue its winning streak against Cal with a score of 37-28.
– Illinois is expected to break their losing streak against Purdue with a score of 40-13.
As the college football season progresses, teams will continue to face challenges on and off the field. Stay tuned for more updates and insights on the AP Top 25 rankings and college football matchups throughout the season.
