College Football Free Pick: Ohio State vs TCU

The No. 4 ranked Ohio State Buckeyes will have an early-season test on their hands in the last game without head coach Urban Meyer on the sidelines when the Buckeyes visit AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas to play the No. 14 ranked TCU Horned Frogs. Meyer returns from his three-game university imposed suspension following this game.

The current line on top sportsbooks has Ohio State favored at -13 with the over/under on 58.5.

The offense for Ohio State has shot out of the starting gate with an average of 64.5 points per game helping them to a 2-0 start to the season despite Meyer’s absence.

The Buckeyes are led by quarterback Dwayne Haskins. The sophomore has a 79.2% completions rate in the first two starts of his college career with 546 yards passing, nine touchdowns and one interception. Ohio State’s offense is balanced, as the Buckeyes are rushing for an average of 300 yards per game with Mike Weber rushing for 217 and three touchdowns and J.K. Dobbins 147 yards and one touchdown.

Defensively the Buckeyes front seven is dominated by the defensive line of Nick Bosa, Dre’Mont Jones and Chase Young.

For TCU this game is big, but big with a capital “B” as a win over the Buckeye would put TCU in the conversation about College Football Playoff teams. With a win, TCU is part of that conversation said head coach of the Horned Frogs Gary Patterson, however he added that with a loss, all TCU will read about is next week’s game with Texas.

TCU has started 2-0 thanks in part to KaVontae Turpin. The senior wide receiver and kick return set a new TCU record for punt return touchdowns with four and total touchdowns on returns with five when he ran one 78 yards for a score against SMU last week. Turpin has also caught 11 passes for 111 yards and a touchdown.

Shawn Robinson has 336 yards passing, four touchdowns and one interception and the sophomore quarterback also leads the team in rushing with 112 yards and three touchdowns.

Horned Frogs defensive tackle Corey Bethley leads the team in sacks with three while linebacker Ty Summers is close behind with two. The TCU defense is allowing just 9.5 points per game through the first two games.

Prediction: Playing at AT&T will help Ohio State as even though it is much closer to the TCU campus, it remains a neutral site and not a “true” home game for the Horned Frogs. That added to the superior athleticism on both sides of the ball for the Buckeyes will lead Ohio State to victory. Buckeyes win this one 31-14.