In what could be the best matchup of the entire Week 0 slate, two contenders for their conference crowns square off. The Ohio vs. San Diego State prediction indicates which side you should take in this matchup of perennial Group of Five powers.
Ohio vs. San Diego State Betting Preview
- Spread
San Diego State (-2.5) - Moneyline
San Diego State (-135); Ohio (+120) - Over/Under
48.5 total points - Game time
7 p.m. ET - Location
Snapdragon Stadium, San Diego, CA - Predicted Weather at Kick
94 degrees, scattered thunderstorms, 6-8 mph winds - How to Watch
FuboTV, CBS Sports Network
Top DFS Picks and Fantasy Plays
All values below come from FanDuel’s multi-team entries for the weekend. For each team’s depth chart:
Ohio Depth Chart | San Diego State Depth Chart
- QB Kurtis Rourke, Ohio ($9,000)
- QB Jalen Mayden, San Diego State ($8,800)
- RB Sieh Bangura, Ohio ($8,700)
- RB Jaylon Armstead, San Diego State ($7,200)
- RB Kenan Christon, San Diego State ($6,300)
- RB Cam Davis, San Diego State ($5,200)
- RB O’Shaan Allison, Ohio ($4,900)
- WR Sam Wiglusz, Ohio ($7,800)
- WR Jacoby Jones, Ohio ($7,100)
- WR Miles Cross, Ohio ($6,600)
- WR Mekhi Shaw, San Diego State ($6,400)
- WR Phillippe Wesley II, San Diego State ($6,000)
- WR Brionne Penny, San Diego State ($5,700)
- TE Mark Redman, San Diego State ($5,200)
- TE Will Kacmarek, Ohio ($4,800)
Rewind the clocks back to last season’s opener and you find a five-touchdown outing from the Maple Missile himself, Kurtis Rourke. Sure, that was against FAU a season ago, but the player Rourke is and can be when at his best was identified.
As tempting as Rourke is to grab at that price in most DFS lineups, there are a few better options on the Week 0 slate. In fact, as tempting as the Ohio Bobcats are in general, the San Diego State defense shapes up to give them potential fits as they are strong in coverage and potentially have the front four to stymie the rushing lanes for Sieh Bangura, O’Shaan Allison, and Co.
Let this serve as your reminder that San Diego State gave up only 14 points to a Toledo offense that was on par with this Ohio offense in Week 4 of last season.
Still, we have one specifically juicy play for savvy DFS players, and that’s Ohio WR Sam Wiglusz. Last season, Wiglusz was a red-zone machine, recording 14 receptions inside the opponent’s 20-yard line. That led all FBS receivers.
Rourke is notably a red-zone savant and SDSU’s defense allowed a completion rate of 61.2% in the red zone, a mark that ranked 102nd in the FBS. Grab Wiglusz and hope the slot machine himself makes a few plays in the green area for you.
While Ohio’s defense lacked consistency a year ago, they got better as the year went on and should be able to limit Jalen Mayden’s improving passing game and his dual-threat ability all the same. Bobcat front-seven members Bryce Houston, Vonnie Watkins, Keye Thompson, and Shane Bonner are a talented group with sideline-to-sideline speed and coverage ability.
Points may actually be hard to come by in this one for the Aztecs.
Prediction for Ohio vs. San Diego State
The Ohio Bobcats have a very winnable schedule. The return of Rourke to their lineup gives promise and hope for a potential run at the MAC Championship.
On the flip side, San Diego State hopes to return to the MWC Championship this season as the aforementioned Mayden made great strides as the season went along. Still, as of right now, Mayden’s strength relies in lulling a defense to sleep and finding open passing lanes downfield for chunk plays.
The Bobcats certainly have been able to install enough from last season’s strong outings to stay disciplined and they have the front seven players to keep Mayden in check.
Ohio’s interior defensive line will come up big in this one against what could be a thin offensive line between the tackles for SDSU. Rourke makes a few plays against a stingy defense, and the Bobcats get out of Snapdragon Stadium with a hard-fought victory.
OU has a chance to go undefeated this season and SDSU won’t get in their way.
Prediction: Ohio 24, San Diego State 20
