Game Thread Ball State at tOSU, Sat. Sept. 5th, TBA

[BB73]

The Buckeyes open by hosting the Ball State Cardinals, a team they have never faced before.

Ball State was 4-8 in 2025. They finished the shortened 2020 season at 7-1 after achieving their first and only bowl victory that year over San Jose State, and actually finished at #23 in the AP poll. Since then they have had 5 straight losing seasons.

In 2008 they were 12-2 under Brady Hoke, who then went to San Diego State for 2 seasons before getting the head job for TTUN.

 

[BuckBackHome]

Is it too early to start the countdown clock;-)

 

[ScriptOhio]

The Big Ten announced Tuesday that it will unveil its full football schedule on Jan. 27, but the Big Ten Football X account revealed one marquee matchup in the meantime: Indiana vs. Ohio State at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington.

 

[ScriptOhio]

Ohio State Opens As 49.5-Point Favorite Over Ball State in Season Opener

Ohio State opens as a 49.5-point favorite over Ball State in the season opener this fall, according to DraftKings Sportsbook.

www.elevenwarriors.com

Ohio State Opens As 49.5-Point Favorite Over Ball State in Season Opener​

With that, DraftKings has released its opening lines for the first two weeks of the season, which include Ohio State's season opener against Ball State. The Buckeyes open as 49.5-point favorites over the Cardinals to begin the season, according to DraftKings.

While DraftKings has only given out the opening lines for Week 0 and Week 1, FanDuel has already given out its lines for some of the biggest games of the regular season, including three that involve Ohio State.

Along with being more than seven-touchdown favorites over Ball State, the Buckeyes are also listed as 1.5-point underdogs at Texas and at Indiana, and 12.5-point favorites in The Game against Michigan, according to FanDuel.

OHIO STATE BETTING ODDS FOR 2026 SEASON

DATE	OPPONENT	POINT SPREAD
SEPT. 5, 2026	BALL STATE	-49.5 (DRAFTKINGS)
SEPT. 12, 2026	AT TEXAS	+1.5 (FANDUEL)
OCT. 17, 2026	AT INDIANA	+1.5 (FANDUEL)
NOV. 28, 2026	MICHIGAN	-12.5 (FANDUEL)

When Ball State travels to Columbus for the season opener, it will mark the first time Ohio State and the Cardinals have ever played each other in football.

While the Buckeyes are underdogs in two of the four games that spreads have already opened for, Ohio State is the favorite to win the CFP national championship at season's end, both at DraftKings (+650) and FanDuel (+550). OSU is the favorite to win the Big Ten as well (+180 on DraftKings, +190 on FanDuel).