Ohio State Buckeyes vs. Purdue Boilermakers Odds, College Football Betting Pick

Ohio State remains on track for a trip to the College Football Playoff, but it isn't doing its financial backers any good as of late, going 0-3 against the spread the last three weeks. Purdue, on the other hand, is playing some better ball as of late and is 4-0 ATS its last four times out.

Who's the smart bet for Saturday night's Buckeyes-Boilermakers battle in West Lafayette?

College football point spread: The Buckeyes opened as 14-point favorites, according to sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark. (Line updates and matchup report)

College football betting pick, via OddsShark computer: 45.3-30.2 Buckeyes (College football picks on every game)

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Why the Ohio State Buckeyes can cover the spread

Ohio State reached 7-0 on the season and 4-0 in Big Ten play with a 30-14 victory over Minnesota last week.

The Buckeyes actually trailed the Gophers in the second quarter 14-10 but took the lead for good on a Dwayne Haskins touchdown pass, his second of three on the day, shortly before halftime. They then shut out Minnesota in the second half to stave off the upset bid.

Ohio State racked up 504 yards of offense, with Haskins hitting on 33 of 44 throws for 412 yards. The Buckeyes also held a 29-19 edge in first downs and won the turnover battle 3-0, resulting in a plus-10 point differential.

Haskins now owns a 28/4 touchdowns/interceptions ratio this season.

With the victory and help from elsewhere, Ohio State moved up to No. 2 in this week's rankings. Win out, and the Buckeyes will play in the CFP.

Why the Purdue Boilermakers can cover the spread

Purdue carries a three-game winning streak into this week after pounding Illinois last week in Champaign 46-7. The Boilers actually spotted the Illini the first seven points of the game, but they scored the last 46 for the easy win and cover as 10-point favorites.

Purdue outgained Illinois 611-250, held a 29-14 advantage in first downs, outrushed the Illini 227-69 and dominated time of possession by a 38/22 margin.

The Boilermakers have now outgained five of their six opponents this season. Also, Purdue's three losses this season have come by a total of eight points.

Smart betting pick

Ohio State is coming off an indifferent effort last week while Purdue is coming off its best outing of the season. But fluctuations in performance are commonplace in college football, and this game sets up for such an occurrence.

Also, the Buckeyes are the better team, national championship contenders and playing on the road, where the spreads tend to be friendlier. The smart money gives the points with Ohio State.

College football betting trends

The total has gone under in eight of Ohio State's last 10 games versus Purdue.

Purdue is 4-19 SU and 6-17 ATS in its last 23 games at home versus teams with winning records.

Ohio State is 12-0 SU and 9-3 ATS in its last 12 games on the road after consecutive home games.

All college football odds and betting trends according to Bleacher Report's official odds partner, OddsShark. Check out OddsShark on Twitter and Instagram or head to YouTube for more betting picks and analysis on this week's top games. You can also download the free odds tracker app.