Ohio State vs. Utah Odds
| Ohio State Odds | -8 |
| Utah Odds | +8 |
| Over/Under | 65 |
| Date | Jan. 1 |
| Location | Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California |
The Ohio State Buckeyes are set to take on the Utah Utes in the Rose Bowl on Jan. 1 in Pasadena, Calif.
FanDuel opened Ohio State as an 8-point favorite, right in line with our projected spread. The total opened at 65.
Find our expert's projected odds, a recap of each team's seasons, plus more information on the Rose Bowl below.
Ohio State vs. Utah Projected Odds
| Ohio State Spread | -8 |
| Utah Spread | +8 |
| Over/Under | 67.8 |
These Ohio State vs. Utah projections are based on Collin Wilson's college football power ratings, which help power our PRO Projections — they compare all of his projections to real-time college football odds in order to easily identify betting edges.
How Ohio State Reached the Rose Bowl
Most programs would kill for a 10-win regular season, but not one with championship-or-bust standards.
A year after finishing runner-up to Alabama, the Buckeyes missed the Big Ten title game for the first time since 2016.
The playoff resume took a hit early in Week 2 with an upset loss to Oregon as 14.5-point chalk.
After that, Ryan Day’s club rolled all the way to the season-finale against Michigan, where the Wolverines earned their first win in the series since 2008.
Offensively, Ohio State’s in fine shape the next few years. Quarterback C.J. Stroud looks poised to make life miserable for Big Ten defenses.
The freshman paced the nation in QBR, while ranking seventh in yards (3,868) and fifth in passing touchdowns (38).
The Buckeyes boast three receivers with at least 65 catches and 936 yards.
The defense, meanwhile, was torched in the secondary. Ohio State allowed 246.7 yards per game through the air, which ranked 97th nationally.
How Utah Reached the Rose Bowl
Utah put up one of the most underappreciated seasons in the nation.
Starting quarterback and Baylor transfer Charlie Brewer was benched in Week 3 and left the program thereafter.
Instead of unraveling, the Utes hit another gear.
They posted at least 35 points in seven of nine games under quarterback Cameron Rising, who earned the nod out of the gates in 2020 but suffered a season-ending injury in Week 1.
Utah ripped off six straight overs at one point during that span, but it closed out the regular season with back-to-back unders.
Defensively, the club was top-25 nationally in both passing yards and total yards allowed per game.
Head coach Kyle Whittingham, who’s been at the post since 2004, is a blistering 11-3 straight up in the postseason. The Utes declined to participate in a bowl last season.
Ohio State vs. Utah Matchup Analysis
Toggle the dropdowns below to hide or show how Ohio State and Utah match up statistically:
Ohio State Offense vs. Utah Defense
 |  Offense |  Defense |  Edge |
| Rush Success | 31 | 50 | |
| Line Yards | 28 | 67 | |
| Pass Success | 2 | 22 | |
| Pass Blocking** | 39 | 51 | |
| Big Play | 3 | 22 | |
| Havoc | 3 | 6 |  |
| Finishing Drives | 1 | 26 | |
| ** Pass Blocking (Off.) vs. Pass Rush (Def.) | |||
Utah Offense vs. Ohio State Defense
| Offense | Defense | Edge |
| Rush Success | 14 | 52 | |
| Line Yards | 9 | 14 | |
| Pass Success | 69 | 69 | |
| Pass Blocking** | 90 | 5 | |
| Big Play | 15 | 62 | |
| Havoc | 12 | 11 | |
| Finishing Drives | 24 | 40 | |
| ** Pass Blocking (Off.) vs. Pass Rush (Def.) | |||
Pace of Play / Other
| | |
| PFF Tackling | 52 | 60 |
| Coverage | 63 | 58 |
| Middle 8 | 16 | 41 |
| SP+ Special Teams | 2 | 114 |
| Plays per Minute | 39 | — |
| Rush Rate | 47.4% (115) | 57.1% (49) |
Rose Bowl Date, Time, TV, More Info
- Date: Jan. 1
- Time: 5 p.m. ET
- Location: Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California
- TV Info: ESPN
