Ohio State vs. Georgia Betting Odds: Can Buckeyes Continue Positive Trend as Rare Underdogs?

Following another 11-1 regular season for the Ohio State Buckeyes, they have found themselves in the College Football Playoff for the fifth time in program history. But when they take the field at the Peach Bowl on New Year’s Eve to face the top-seeded Georgia Bulldogs, they will be in a position that this program does not face often.

For the first time this season, Ohio State will play as the underdog.

Now, this is not that big of a surprise as Georgia is the defending national champions, and the Bulldogs ran through their schedule this season to an undefeated record and their first SEC Championship since 2017. It is rare for the Buckeyes to be the projected loser. This is the first time in 25 games, dating back to the 2020 CFP National Championship against Alabama, that Ohio State is not the favorite according to the best online sportsbooks.

Claim up to $1,200 in betting bonuses with DraftKings Promo Code

However, while short, Ohio State’s history as an underdog should give the Buckeye faithful a gleam of hope, especially when they are going up against a perceived ‘unbeatable’ SEC foe.

With that being said, let’s look at Ohio State’s history as an underdog.

A Winning Culture

The Ohio State Buckeyes are among the most successful FBS programs of all time. They have the best winning percentage in college football history at .733 and are second in all-time wins (953), just behind their arch-rivals, the Michigan Wolverines.

If you break it down more, they have been more successful during the College Football Playoff era as they won the first CFP national championship, and they have compiled a record of 104-12 since the CFP was implemented during the 2014-2015 season.

While they have not won the national championship since that first season, they have been one of the most unbeatable programs in the country, just behind Alabama and Clemson during this stretch.

Get your free money: Check out the top sports betting bonuses available

Hungry Dogs Run Faster

Dating back to 2004, Ohio State has been an underdog 30 times, and not only has it done an excellent job proving the oddsmakers wrong by going 17-13 SU in those instances, but they are also an incredible 21-9 ATS when playing as a dog.

When we say it is rare for the Buckeyes to be in this spot, we mean it. They are not underdogs often. Here is a look at the last 10 times the Buckeyes have been underdogs.

Before that, the Buckeyes were on a seven-game winning streak when listed as an underdog, including demolishing Wisconsin 59-0 in the 2014 Big Ten Championship game as four-point underdogs. Because of their dominance against the Badgers, they earned a CFP semifinal spot where they took down the Alabama Crimson Tide 42-35 as a 7.5-point dog and then ran over the Oregon Ducks in the championship game 42-20 as six-point dogs.

This season, Ohio State will be heading to its fifth CFP semifinal, and this will be the fourth time the Buckeyes are an underdog, with the 2016 Fiesta Bowl against Clemson being the only game they were listed as the betting favorite. Funny enough, that was the worst playoff game the Buckeyes have played, getting blanked 31-0 as 1.5-point favorites over the Tigers, who went on to win the national championship that year.

Clemson and Ohio State have met up three times in the playoffs, with the first being in the 2016 Fiesta Bowl. The second time also came at the Fiesta Bowl, and although Clemson found a way to win and cover, this time, it was a competitive game that saw Ohio State commit a game-sealing turnover. The third matchup saw the Buckeyes whoop Clemson 49-28 in the 2021 Sugar Bowl as seven-point underdogs on their way to a crushing loss against Alabama in the championship game, where they were catching 9.5 points against the Crimson Tide.

That was the last time Ohio State was not favored in a game.

If you exclude the College Football Playoff era, Ohio State is 15-7 ATS proving that their run of dominance as a dog is not a fluke and not just limited to the past decade. When the Buckeyes are counted out, they perform their best.

Score a $1,000 No Sweat First Bet for college football with this week’s FanDuel Promo Code

Ohio State vs. Georgia Betting Odds: Will History Repeat Itself?

Currently, DraftKings Sportsbook has the Buckeyes listed as a seven-point dog against Georgia, with the total set at 62. Based on the history, backing Ohio State would be a wise decision, as the Buckeyes are 7-2 ATS when playing as a touchdown underdog since 2004. On the other side, this is the smallest number Georgia has been favored by and only the second time this season that they are not a double-digit favorite.

With Georgia already being crowned the presumed winner of this game, there could also be more motivation for an Ohio State team that got its doors kicked in against Michigan in their last game.

Ohio State is 5-3 ATS after not covering in their previous matchup as an underdog, and wouldn’t you know it, the last time the Buckeyes hit the field as underdogs they got crushed.

Whatever happens, both teams have the entire month of December to develop a solid game plan, get healthy, and fix what needs to be fixed. But the numbers do not lie about Ohio State when they are getting points. They will come to Atlanta prepared to give the defending champions everything they got.

Article contributed by DJ Corrigan