Ohio State vs. Akron odds: Early point spread released on Buckeyes, Zips

The stage is set for the matchup between Ohio State and Akron next weekend. The Buckeyes are heavy favorites rolling into the matchup, as expected. They’re one of the most complete teams in all of college football, and the odds reflect that.

According to FanDuel Sportsbook, Ohio State is currently favored by 49.5 points, one of the biggest favorites of the weekend. The game total is set at 57.5 points. Here’s some more details on what you need to know heading into the game.

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How to watch Ohio State vs. Akron

Time: 3:30 PM EST

Channel: CBS, FuboTV (Streaming)

Location: Ohio Stadium —Columbus, Ohio

Ohio State enters the 2024 campaign with one of the most loaded rosters in the country, with weaponry and talent all over the place. Expectations are sky high across the nation for the Buckeyes, who check in at No. 2 in the first version of the Associated Press Poll. They’ve made a number of impressive additions in the offseason, with the biggest being all-world safety Caleb Downs. He was the No. 1 ranked player in the transfer portal, after he stuffed the stat sheet with 107 total tackles and two interceptions as a true freshman for the Alabama Crimson Tide.

On offense, Ohio State once again features one of the nation’s most impressive collections of talent at the skill positions. Wide receiver Emeka Egbuka is one of the nation’s best. He hauled in 41 catches for 515 receiving yards and four touchdowns last year for the Buckeyes. In 2022, Egbuka snagged 74 catches for 1,151 yards and 10 touchdowns. He figures to be the No. 1 receiver for quarterback Will Howard, who transferred to Ohio State this offseason from Kansas State.

Howard threw for over 2,600 yards last year for KSU, while tossing in 24 touchdowns with 10 interceptions. As a runner, he has had over 350 rushing yards in two different seasons for KSU.

There’s also ultra gifted freshman receiver, Jeremiah Smith, who has drawn an extensive amount of national media attention dating back to his high school days. He’s expected to make quite the splash for the Buckeyes in his first year. He’ll be an exciting one to watch. Smith was rated as the No. 1 overall player in the 2024 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Rankings. There’s been steady buzz around his play ever since he set foot in Columbus in the spring.

Ohio State is also home to one of the nation’s best running back tandems in Ole Miss transfer Quinshon Judkins and Treyveon Henderson. Judkins has rushed for over 2,600 yards and 31 touchdowns combined the past two seasons for the Ole Miss Rebels. He’s firmly cemented himself as one of the nation’s best at his position. And if they want another option, the Buckeyes will have Treyveon Henderson to turn to, who has rushed for over at least 900 yards in two of his three seasons in college football.

That’s just scratching the surface of some of the talent on the OSU roster. It’s easy to see why Vegas thinks this one is one of the biggest mismatches of the entire 2024 college football season.