Ohio State football: How many games will Buckeyes win this season?

One of the new rites of spring arrived in my inbox Tuesday with the release of early projections of college football win totals for 2018.

Bovada has set the over/under for regular season wins by Urban Meyer’s Ohio State Buckeyes a 9.5.

Ohio State has some holes to fill thanks to graduation and early entries into the NFL draft, but that’s a pretty appealing number considering the way Meyer has been recruiting in Columbus.

(It's one game lower than last year, for what that's worth.)

National powerhouse Oklahoma is replaced on the schedule by TCU (over/under 7.5 wins according to Bovada), the Buckeyes don’t play Wisconsin (10 wins) and they get Michigan (9.5) at home.

However, there are trips to Penn State (9.5) and Michigan State (9) to deal with.

Even if Jim Harbaugh’s team is, as expected, better than last year, the Wolverines could have a harder time beating their number as they not only must play at Michigan State and Ohio State, they get visits from Penn State and Wisconsin.

Michigan also has a trip to Notre Dame to start the season that figures to be a toss-up.

Then of course there is Nebraska.

The Cornhuskers’ over/under is only six games. That makes them a potential value bet if they get much of a first-year bump from new coach Scott Frost.

However, a look at the schedule does make 6-6 look realistic as Nebraska gets three of the top four in the Big Ten East (at Michigan, at Ohio State, Michigan State) and has to travel to Wisconsin and Iowa.

In that case, Frost’s Huskers might have their biggest impact on the betting world if they can pull an upset one of those Saturdays.

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