2. Ohio State at Minnesota
LINE: Ohio State -14
ATS PICK: Ohio State
Ohio State is going to beat Minnesota.
If it doesn’t, that might be a great thing for college football as a whole – the sport desperately needs to go against the chalk up top as much as possible, but that’s for another day – but it won’t happen. And why?
You think Jim Harbaugh has issues with the Buckeyes, try the historical issues Minnesota has with them.
The Golden Gophers are 1-27 against Ohio State since 1981. (Deep cut fun fact: a young me was at that 1981 game. I was bored.)
2000 was the last time Minnesota pulled off a win in the series, and since then it hasn’t been pretty.
The two played a close battle in 2001, but it was 34-3 Buckeyes in 2002. There was one good fight along the way, but everything else was decided by 13 points or more.
The Gophers lost four of their last five Big Ten openers, 2009 Navy – a 31-27 Buckeye win – was the only team to come within a gajillion points of Ohio State in a season opener since Miami won the 1999 Kickoff Classic 23-12, and …
Ohio State is going to beat Minnesota.
The 14 points shouldn’t concern you.