It's almost game time in Columbus.
The No. 4 Ohio State Buckeyes, after moving up one spot in the most recent College Football Playoff rankings, get set for a top-20 clash in Columbus against the No. 19 Purdue Boilermakers.
Purdue is fresh off its second top-5 victory of the season last Saturday over the previously undefeated Michigan State Spartans. This is the teams' first meeting since the Purdue 49-20 thrashing of Ohio State in West Lafayette on October 20, 2018, which happens to be the last time the Buckeyes lost to a Big Ten opponent.
The line opened with the Buckeyes favored by 19 but has since jumped to 21, with an over/under at 64.
next is #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/BVXhvbffSd
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) November 10, 2021
Eleven Warriors Staff Score Predictions
Garrick Hodge: Ohio State 38, Purdue 27. "The 'Spoilermakers' will hang out long enough to give OSU fans a scare, but they won't knock off a top team two weeks in a row."
"This isn't your average Purdue team. With a strong defense and an explosive offense, I think the Boilermakers are the most threatening team left on Ohio State's schedule. They will keep it close." – – Kevin Harrish
Johnny Ginter: Ohio State 42, Purdue 17. "I consulted a trusted local psychic who said that the evil spirit that guides Purdue's hand in these types of games is out to lunch. Probably, right? Three upsets of top five teams doesn't seem karmically possible. Right??!?"
Kevin Harrish: Ohio State 38, Purdue 27. "This isn't your average Purdue team. With a strong defense and an explosive offense, I think the Boilermakers are the most threatening team left on Ohio State's schedule. They will keep it close."
Bruce Thomas: Ohio State 28, Purdue 23. "I've seen this movie too many times before to pick OSU to win comfortably. If this game were in West Lafayette, I might not pick them at all."
Ramzy Nasrallah: Ohio State 45, Purdue 14. "The Boilermakers are far too one-dimensional as well as too far from West Lafayette to keep this game interesting."
George Eisner: Ohio State 34, Purdue 21. "Purdue's defense allows one of the lowest completion rates among FBS teams (<54%), but their pass rush lacks the same effectiveness. Stroud will start slow, but end strong with help from Henderson."
Will Ohio State Cover?
The current Vegas spread sits at Ohio State 21 after the Buckeyes opened as a 19 point favorite over Purdue earlier in the week.
With the current odds, 21.4%, or 3 out of 14, of our staff predictions have Ohio State covering, while half (7 out of 14) have the Buckeyes winning but not covering. Four people have Ohio State winning by 21.
Nobody has Purdue winning outright. Ohio State is 4-4-1 against the spread so far this season, but has lost two straight.
What About the Over?
The game scoring total opened at 66.5 but has dropped to 64 in the most recent line.
Of our 14 predictions, 3 are picking the game to go over while 9 are picking the under. Two people are taking 64 exactly. Sixty-nine is the highest predicted scoring total, while 51 is the lowest.
Eleven Warriors House Prop Bets
Let's make the game a little more interesting with a few prop lines set right here by Eleven Warriors. Make your predictions in the comments and compete for bragging rights.
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How many receiving yards will Purdue wide receiver David Bell have?
- Over 149.5 receiving yards (-110)
- Under 149.5 receiving yards (-110)
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How many rushing yards will TreVeyon Henderson have?
- Over 124.5 rushing yards (-110)
- Under 124.5 rushing yards (-110)
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Will the first offensive touchdown scored be a rushing or passing touchdown?
- Rushing (-110)
- Passing (-110)
The 8-1 Buckeyes will battle the 6-3 Boilermakers in Columbus at Ohio Stadium at 3:30 p.m. Don't forget to make your official Eleven Warriors Prognostication before kickoff for a chance to win a free shirt from Eleven Warriors Dry Goods.
