Ohio State at Purdue Prediction - College Football Picks 10/14/23

Purdue Boilermakers (2-4) vs Ohio State Buckeyes (5-0)

Game Info: Saturday, October 14, 2023 at 12:00 pm (Ross-Ade Stadium)

Betting Odds: Purdue Boilermakers +20.5 -- Over/Under: 51.5 Click Here for the Latest Odds

The Ohio State Buckeyes will head to West Lafayette to face the Purdue Boilermakers in Big Ten play this weekend from Ross-Ade Stadium on Peacock. Ohio State holds the all-time series lead, 40-15-2, after winning the most recent meeting back in 2021 in Columbus, 59-31.

Ohio State Buckeyes Preview

Ohio State improved to 5-0 after defeating Maryland in Columbus, 37-17. The Buckeyes took off in the second half against the Terps, and they’ll now look to move to 3-0 in conference play this Saturday. The OSU offense is scoring 35.0 ppg, while passing for 302.8 ypg, rushing for 131.6 ypg, and converting 39.7% of their third downs.

OSU Player Notes

• Kyle McCord came alive in the second half against Maryland last week, finishing with a season-high 320 yards and a pair of touchdown tosses. The junior quarterback followed up his heroic effort versus Notre Dame in style, and he’ll look to secure his third victory in Indiana this season Saturday. McCord has passed for 1,375 yards, with eight touchdowns to one interception through five starts.

• Senior back Chip Trayanum scored for the third contest in a row in the win over the Terps, and he’s up to 207 rushing yards for the season.

• Junior wideout Marvin Harrison Jr. came through with his best game of the season last weekend, catching eight passes for a season-best 163 yards and a score. The Philly native leads OSU in receptions (25) and receiving yards (499).

• The OSU defense has allowed 10.2 points per game.

Purdue Boilermakers Preview

Purdue fell to 2-4 after losing to Iowa on the road by six, 20-14. The Boilermakers led at the break, but they were unable to hold off the Hawkeyes, and they’re in real danger of dropping a second straight game here. The Purdue offense is scoring 25.7 ppg, while passing for 248.5 ypg, rushing for 141.2 ypg, and converting 45.5% of their third downs.

Purdue Player Notes

• Hudson Card almost pulled off the victory last weekend, going 20/45 for 247 yards with a touchdown, but two costly picks that ultimately decide the contest. The former Texas quarterback has performed well outside of the two games against the strong defenses of Iowa and Wisconsin, but he’s in for another fierce test here with Ohio State. Card has passed for 1,491 yards with six touchdowns to five interceptions thru five starts.

• Sophomore back Devin Mockobee tallied 125 yards versus in the loss to Iowa, and he leads Purdue in rushing with 368 yards on 87 carries, with four touchdowns.

• Senior RB Tyrone Tracy Jr. has scored in five of the first six games, and he’s totaled 296 yards on 50 touches for the season.

• Sophomore wideout Deion Burks has caught four passes or more in five of the first six games, and he leads the Boilermakers in receiving yards (396) on 24 catches.

• The Purdue defense is allowing 28.0 points per game.

Ohio State vs Purdue Trends

• Ohio State is 2-2-1 against the spread, with a 1-4 O/U record.

• Purdue is 2-4 ATS, with a 3-3 over/under record.

• OSU has covered the spread in eight of its last nine October games as a favorite against non-AP-ranked teams.

• OSU’s last six October games as a road favorite against non-AP-ranked teams have gone Over the total points line.

Corey’s Free Pick

Another slow start for Ohio State wouldn’t necessarily put them on upset alert here, but it may alter their chances to cover the sizable margin here on the road. Similar to their matchup with Maryland last week, the Bucks may allow Purdue to stick around for a bit early on, which could result in the magic number being attainable. OSU is more than capable of doing the heavy lifting, while the Boilermakers should be able to muster some points here at home with them staring at a 2-5 start. Ohio State should avoid any possible upset here, but let’s take the total for this Big Ten battle.