Marshall vs. Ohio State Prediction
Marshall vs. Ohio State Prediction and Picks - September 21, 2024
The Marshall Thundering Herd (1-1, 2-0 ATS, 0-2 O/U) clash with the Ohio State Buckeyes (2-0, 1-1 ATS, 2-0 O/U) in an inter-conference showdown on Saturday afternoon. The Thundering Herd are 1-1 after two games including a loss against Virginia Tech. The Buckeyes are 2-0 after posting a dominating win against Western Michigan.
Struggling with handicapping? Try our NCAAF Predictions!
Marshall Covers in Defeat vs. Virginia Tech
The Marshall Thundering Herd enter this one rested after enjoying last week off. Marshall had an easy opponent to kick off the season, posting a 45-3 home win against Stony Brook of the FCS. They were marked 31-point favorites in that one. Next, the schedule brought in a bout against Virginia Tech of the ACC. The Herd was competitive, losing 31-14 in a clash that had the Herd as big 21-point dogs. Marshall was voted to finish 10th in the C-USA preseason poll.
Stone Earle is in his first year with Marshall after transferring from North Texas. The senior QB was decent in the opener but struggled against the Hokies, connecting on 36% of his passes for 131 yards. He only has 228 passing yards and a 3:1 TD-to-INT ratio. Braylon Braxton will also see action at QB in this game. Braxton has recorded 141 passing yards.
Marshall has depth at RB. A.J. Turner leads the squad with 222 rushing yards. Chris Fitzpatrick has been a bright spot. The senior WR spent last year with Michigan State and has been hard to contain, bringing in 170 receiving yards on eight receptions. The Marshall offense managed 278 total yards against the Hokies defense.
The Thundering Herd defense squandered 338 total yards against Virginia Tech including only 130 passing yards. The pass rush has stood out early, amassing eight sacks. They ranked 56th against the pass and 100th against the run last year. There has been some improvement, ranking 26th against the run and 86th in rush defense after two games.
Marshall is averaging 29.5 points after two bouts, ranking them 73rd. They have conceded an average of 17 points, placing them 48th.
Need assistance with college football? We have the Best College Football Handicappers!
Ohio State Dominates Opposition
The Ohio State Buckeyes head into their last non-conference game before the schedule brings in some challenging opponents. It’s been a very easy schedule so far. They pelted Akron by a 52-6 score to begin the season and bur narrowly missed covering the spread. Next, the Buckeyes issued a dominating 56-0 win against Western Michigan of the MAC to cover the 37-point spread and had a bye last week. The Buckeyes remained at the #3 spot in the AP Top 25.
Will Howard spent last season at Kansas State where he posted a 24:10 TD to INT ratio. The senior QB has been productive in his first two performances at Ohio State, collecting 520 passing yards and a 4:0 TD-to-INT ratio. Ohio State has an elite rushing offense that is amongst the best. Quinshon Judkins rushed for 1158 yards last year and has 163 yards after two games. Treveyon Henderson had a big 2023 season and has collected 131 yards. Jeremiah Smith is a skilled freshman enjoying a marvelous start. He has registered 211 receiving yards. The OSU offense has scored at least 52 points in both games for an average of 543 total yards.
The Buckeyes defense had no problem containing the opposition after two games. They kept Akron to 177 yards and Western Michigan to only 99 yards. They did lose plenty of key players to the NFL draft but returned their best corner Davison Igbinosun. The Buckeyes were first in pass defense and fifth in rush defense last season. After two clashes, they stand fourth in pass defense and second in the country in rush defense.
