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NCAA Football

Buffalo Bulls vs. Ohio St. Buckeyes Week 1 Betting Predictions & Preview

Ohio St. vs Buffalo College Football Handicapping

An undefeated season in 2012 has placed high expectations on this year’s Buckeyes squad, but with the pressure now on them the team will be hard-pressed to repeat their feat from a year ago.

Ohio State Buckeyes (12-0) vs. Buffalo Bulls (4-8)
Date: Saturday, August 31, 2013
Time: 12:00 PM ET
Venue: Ohio Stadium
City: Columbus, Ohio
O/U Odds: 56
Spread: Ohio State -34.5
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NCAA sanctions kept Ohio State from playing in a bowl game last year, but that didn’t stop them from compiling a 12-0 season in their first year under head coach Urban Meyer.

The Buckeyes bring the longest winning streak in the nation into this contest, but the Bulls may be more concerned with who will be throwing the ball for the Buckeyes. Heisman candidate Braxton Miller is set to begin his junior season at Ohio State after a tremendous 2012.

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He’ll be counted on to carry a big load in the opener with standout running back Carlos Hyde slated to miss the game due to a suspension for an offseason transgression.

The team has talked about throwing the ball more in an effort to keep their star quarterback upright, but they may need him to stick to his old ways for another week, although guys like Jordan Hall, Rod Smith, and Bri’onte Dunn will certainly warrant their fair share of touches out of the backfield, and a veteran offensive line that may be the best in the nation should open up plenty of holes to let those backs eat. [soliloquy id=”82219″]

As for Buffalo, they’ll actually bring a veteran squad to Columbus for this contest, returning 16 starters, including nine on offense. The offense will be headlined by a pair of fifth-year starters – running back Branden Oliver, and wide receiver Alex Neutz.

Oliver missed five games a year ago but still churned out 821 yards, while Neutz was the team’s offensive MVP. The team’s X-factor on offense will be quarterback Joe Licata, who led the team to a 3-1 record down the stretch last season.

On the flip side of the ball, senior linebacker Khalil Mack will anchor the defense this season before he heads off to the NFL as a likely first-round pick next season. Mack will have his fair-share of work to do against a potent Buckeye rushing attack, but he’s proven to be up to the challenge before – his 56 career tackles for a loss are 19 shy of the NCAA record.

A win for the Buckeyes is pretty well a foregone conclusion – the team is 32-2 in their last 34 season openers, but for our purposes, we have to ask whether or not they can build, and hold, a 35-point margin.

The Bulls have been highly competitive as significant underdogs in recent years, and it feels like they aren’t getting enough respect in this matchup.

The Buckeyes are 1-4 ATS in their last five non-conference games.

The play: Buffalo +34.5

By Gino Bottero

Gino is new to CappersPicks.com but NOT new to the online gambling industry.He's got an AMAZING knack for discovering hidden gems when it comes to betting on sports. Stick with him as he predicts when a team will have a letdown! Check Gino out for NBA, NHL, NFL, and MLB betting articles all season long!