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The Utah Utes will take on the Ohio State Buckeyes in the Rose Bowl. It's time to continue our college football odds series and make a Utah-Ohio State prediction and pick.
The Utes always seem to be one of the most solid, well-coached teams in the nation. They consistently beat the teams they are supposed to and always pull one or two upsets per year. That was again the case in this season, when Utah took down the Oregon Ducks to win the PAC-12 Championship. Now they face their toughest test of the season in the Buckeyes. Ohio State just missed the College Football Playoffs, but the Rose Bowl is a decent consolation prize. This should be one of the best games of the bowl season, so let's get into the pick.
Here are the odds for the Utah-Ohio State Rose Bowl game, courtesy of FanDuel.
College Football Odds: Utah-Ohio State Rose Bowl Odds
Utah Utes: +4.5 (-114)
Ohio State Buckeyes: -4.5 (-106)
Over: 64 (-110)
Under: 64 (-110)
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Why Utah Could Cover the Spread
The Utes continued their tradition of excellent defense this season. They only allowed 20 points and 321 yards per game to their opponents while also holding their opponents to an incredible 4.7 yards per play. Those are insane numbers, and they match up well with this explosive Ohio State offense. Utah also allowed a score on 79% of their opponents' red zone trips, another fantastic number. Slowing down the Buckeyes is pretty much an impossible task, but the Utes clearly have a shot.
While Ohio State did have some great defensive performances, they struggled to stop opposing passing games. The Buckeyes nearly allowed seven yards per pass to go along with 250 passing yards per game. The Utes aren't a great passing team, but if it comes down to it they should be able to put up some big numbers through the air, partially because of their pass protection. Utah gave up a sack on three percent of their dropbacks this season, one of the best numbers in the nation. Ohio State's fantastic pass rush should be negated to some degree in this one.
Why Ohio State Could Cover the Spread
Despite their struggles against the pass, the Buckeyes remained one of the best teams in the nation at defending the run. Ohio State allowed 118 rushing yards per game to their opponents while holding opposing ballcarriers to 3.6 yards per carry. Utah ran the football on 56% of their offensive plays throughout the season, so it's safe to say that they rely on the ground game. The Buckeyes should be able to bottle things up there and force the Utes to pass the football.
There is the question of level of competition here. Utah faced the Oregon Ducks in the regular season, but other than that, they didn't play any particularly difficult opponents. Now they face a top-three team in terms of talent. The Buckeyes are a step up from all the other competition that the Utes have faced, so there's a good chance that Utah is just outclassed in this game despite some key opt-outs from Ohio State.
Final Utah-Ohio State Rose Bowl Prediction & Pick
This game is a huge step for Utah. It's unlikely that they'll be able to keep pace with the best offense in the nation and one of the most talented overall rosters in all of college football. Take the Buckeyes to cover with ease.
Final Utah-Ohio State Rose Bowl Game Prediction & Pick: Ohio State Buckeyes: -4.5 (-106)
