Week 0 Is The Only Time To Bet Ohio University Or San Diego State Football
Two Group of Five teams help kickoff the 2023 college football season in Week 0. The Ohio Bobcats of the Mid-American Conference (MAC) visit the San Diego State Aztecs from the Mountain West Conference (MWC) Saturday.
Ohio finished 10-4 straight up (SU) and 9-4-1 against the spread (ATS) in 2022 for its 1st double-digit win season since 2011. But, the Bobcats lost to the Toledo Rockets in the 2022 MAC title game. Ohio beat MWC's Wyoming Cowboys in the Barstool Sports Arizona Bowl 30-27.
Hooters Girls celebrate with the Ohio Bobcats after defeating Wyoming in the 2022 Barstool Sports Arizona Bowl at Arizona Stadium in Tucson. (Christopher Hook/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
San Diego State regressed from a 12-win season in 2021 to go just 7-6 SU and 5-8 ATS last season. The Aztecs lost to Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders 25-23 in the 2022 EasyPost Hawaii Bowl.
Entering 2023, SDSU has a 7-win total with juice on the Under (-135) at DraftKings Sportsbook. The Aztecs are the 4th-favorite to win the 2023 MWC championship (+700). Ohio has a 7.5-win total with the Over slightly pricier (-115) and the 2nd-best odds to win the MAC (+280).
Week 0: Ohio at San Diego State Odds (DraftKings)
Ohio-San Diego State betting odds for Week 0 on Saturday, August 26th from DraftKings.
The major reason for the Bobcats losing the 2022 MAC Championship game is due to the season-ending injury to their QB, Kurtis Rourke, Nov. 15th.
Rourke won the 2022 MAC Offensive Player of the Year while leading the conference in most passing stats including passing yards, TDs, QB Rating, and adjusted yards per pass.
Well, Rourke returns along with 78% of the offensive production from last year, which ranks 19th nationally, per ESPN college football analyst Bill Connelly. Ohio's top-two WRs from 2022 return including 5th-year senior WR Sam Wigluz.
Wigluz caught 73 balls for 877 yards and 11 TDs last year. His 11 TD catches were tied atop the MAC in 2022. Also, Ohio's leading rusher in 2022, sophomore RB Sieh Bangura, returns. Bangura gained 1,078 yards on the round last season and his 15 total TDs also tied atop the MAC.
Ohio WR Sam Wiglusz makes a catch in the Barstool Sports Arizona Bowl vs. Wyoming. (Chris Coduto/Getty Images)
San Diego State's defense is traditionally stout but the Aztecs rank 123rd in defensive returning production, according to Connelly. They lost their three leading tacklers from last year and three defensive line starters.
College football analyst Phil Steele has a table in his 2023 season preview named "All-Conference Points". Steele assigns 15 points for All-Americans, 10 points for 1st-Team All-Conference players, seven points for 2nd-Team, and four points for 3rd-Team.
In Steele's "All-Conference Points" table, Ohio is +18 points, which is tied for 16th in the country. San Diego State on the other hand is -9 points. The Aztecs lost four 1st-Team All-MWC players, one 2nd-Teamer, and two 3rd-Teamer.
Former San Diego State Aztecs defensive lineman Jonah Tavai chases down Middle Tennessee QB Chase Cunningham for a sack at Ching Complex in Hawaii. (Steven Erler-USA TODAY Sports)
Granted, the Bobcats lost even more defensive production than the Aztecs, per Connelly. However, San Diego State doesn’t have the offense to exploit Ohio's weak offense.
Aztecs QB Jalen Mayden is a converted safety who threw just 12 TDs in 2022. Mayden’s 10 interceptions were tied for the most in the MWC last season.
Finally, Circa Sports in Las Vegas opened SDSU as a 4-point favorite. Per Pregame.com, more bets are on the Aztecs but more money is on the Bobcats. Since San Diego State is more popular than Ohio, my hunch is this pro-Bobcats money is sharp.