CFB Week 9 early lines: Wisconsin big dogs at Ohio State
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Each week we'll break down the opening lines for the biggest college football games on the card, looking at where the early money is going and how the spread may move leading up to kickoff.
Wisconsin at Ohio State
Opening line: Ohio State -14
This was supposed to be a meeting of unbeaten Big Ten teams, but Illinois had other ideas. The Fighting Illini upset Wisconsin last week as 30-point underdogs, ruining the Badgers' perfect season and taking some of the shine off this matchup. Ohio State opened as a two-touchdown favorite at home and there is some value with Wisconsin coming off the shocking loss.
Oddsmakers I spoke to said the Buckeyes would have been an 8-9 point favorite had Wisconsin easily defeated Illinois as expected. The line hadn't moved off 14 as of Monday, so sharps are staying away from this game for now. Don't be surprised, though, if they come in on the Badgers at some point with the public likely backing the undefeated Buckeyes.
Notre Dame at Michigan
Opening line: Michigan -4
Michigan is coming off another big-game loss under Jim Harbaugh. The Wolverines fell behind 21-0 at Penn State before mounting a comeback to lose 28-21, covering as an 8-point underdog. This week Michigan opened up as a 4-point favorite at home over Notre Dame, to the surprise of many. It didn't take long for sharps to come in on the Fighting Irish, pushing the line down to 2.5.
This is a case where sharps and the public will likely be on the same side. Don't be surprised if Notre Dame closes as a slight road favorite with the sharps buying back (betting the other side) on Michigan late, trying to middle the game (win both ways). If you like the Fighting Irish, grab them early before the line drops further.
Auburn at LSU
Opening line: LSU -12.5
If LSU finishes the year unbeaten, the Tigers sure will have earned that perfect record. LSU has already played Florida and Texas, gets Auburn this week, and then faces an Alabama team coming off a bye Nov. 9. Yikes.
Oddsmakers still love the Tigers, who remain a perfect 7-0 against the spread this season. The line for this game was LSU -6.5 over the summer and it opened -12.5 before early money knocked it down a point to 11.5. Taking double digits with Auburn is tempting in this spot, especially with LSU's matchup versus Alabama looming. However, in his road start against Florida earlier this year, Auburn quarterback Bo Nix was dreadful, completing just 40% of his passes and throwing three interceptions. Expect sharps to be on Auburn here, while the public continues to ride LSU.
Texas at TCU
Opening line: TCU -2.5
TCU comes in a disappointing 3-3, while Texas barely got by Kansas at home last week as a three-touchdown favorite. TCU opened as a 2.5-point favorite but sharps hit this game hard early, moving the Longhorns to -1. Texas is a popular public team, and with TCU's biggest win of the season coming against an average Purdue squad, bettors will likely be all over the Longhorns as a short road favorite. Don't be surprised if Texas closes -3 by kickoff. Strike now if you plan to bet the Horns.
Thomas Casale is theScore's supervising editor of sports betting. He's been following the sports betting industry for almost 30 years. A devoted fan of the wishbone offense, Thomas bets on all sports but specializes in college football, NFL, and college basketball. Find him on Twitter @TheTomCasale.