Ohio State Buckeyes 2016 College Football Betting Preview, Championship Odds

After exploding to win the national title two seasons ago, Ohio State went off as the favorite on most of last year's college football championship betting boards at sportsbooks monitored by Odds Shark. However, a puzzling loss to a short-handed Michigan State team cost the Buckeyes their shot at the repeat. This year, Ohio State rates among the favorites again despite losing about half its team.

2015 Ohio State record: 12-1 SU, 6-7 ATS

2016 regular-season wins over/under: 9.0

2016 odds to win Big 10: +175 (bet $100 to win $175)

Odds to win national championship: +700

Last Year in Review

Ohio State started 10-0 last season, but all was not exactly well. The Buckeyes played a weak schedule, and they went just 4-6 against the spread, struggling with teams like Northern Illinois, Indiana and Minnesota. Ohio State then managed just 132 yards of total offense while falling at home to a Spartans team playing its backup quarterback.

That loss eventually cost the Buckeyes a spot in the College Football Playoff. But they responded by playing their two best games of the year, a 42-13 romp over Michigan at the Big House and a 44-28 victory over Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl to finish No. 4 in the final rankings.

This Year in Preview

Ohio State will begin this season as one of the most inexperienced teams in all of FBS, but it will probably be one of the most talented. The Buckeyes return just six starters. Three are back on offense, including quarterback J.T. Barrett, but they have to replace an 1,800-yard rusher, last year's top three receivers and three along the offensive line.

In addition, just three starters return on defense following the loss of four of last year's top five tacklers. Still, this is Ohio State, which just replaces great talent with great talent year after year.

Ohio State 2016 Schedule

The Buckeyes played one of the weaker Power Five schedules in the country last year but will play a top-20 slate this season. The good stuff begins in Week 3, when Ohio State visits fellow national title contender Oklahoma. And while they later get Nebraska and Michigan at home, the Buckeyes have to play at Wisconsin, Penn State and Michigan State.

Betting on the Buckeyes

Betting Ohio State games over recent seasons hasn't really been that difficult, as the Buckeyes are 13-16 ATS at home over the last four seasons but 17-8 ATS outside of Columbus.

They're also 9-12 ATS during that span when favored by three touchdowns or more and 21-12 ATS in all other games. And that's where the value usually resides when it comes to betting on good teams: on the road, where the spreads are friendlier.