After weeks of waiting, the Oregon Ducks‘ first College Football Playoff matchup since 2014 is days away. On Wednesday, New Year’s Day, Oregon will take on the Ohio State Buckeyes for the second time this season. The Ducks will hope to defend the honor they earned by beating the Buckeyes in October, and Ohio State will be eager to enact their revenge.
All season, I’ve previewed each week in the Big Ten with a betting guide, making a pick on the moneyline or spread for each Big Ten game. I did well over the course of the season, and my picks finished 70-57 (+13 units). My record improved during conference championship week as well, when four of my five conference championship picks hit, moving my overall record to 74-58 (+16 units) on the year.
This week, I’ll be trying to improve that record even more. I’ve made picks for each of the four College Football Playoff games this week, and for the first time, I’ve made selections on the Over/Under line of each game. All odds are courtesy of BetMGM and subject to change. Despite my strong record, I am not a gambling expert, so please don’t bet money you can’t afford to lose.
For the College Football Playoff Round 2 Betting Guide, continue below.
Penn State Nittany Lions vs. Boise State Broncos
Matthew O’Haren-Imagn Images
Moneyline: Penn State: -450 | Boise: +350
Spread: Penn State: -10.5 points
My Pick: Although Penn State is the lower seed in this game, they are a far better overall team than the Boise State Broncos. I do think the Broncos, led by star running back Ashton Jeanty, will keep things close, so I’ll take Boise State to cover.
Texas Longhorns vs. Arizona State Sun Devils
Sara Diggins/USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images
Moneyline: Texas: -550 | Arizona State: +400
Spread: Texas: -13 points
My Pick: This is a hard game to pick because Arizona State feels like a team of destiny filled with moxie, but in the end, I think Texas’s strength on the lines will win out. I’ll take the Longhorns, but give me the Sun Devils to cover.
Ohio State Buckeyes vs. Oregon Ducks
Photo Courtesy of Ethan Landa
Moneyline: Ohio State: -135 | Oregon: +115
Spread: Ohio State: -2.5 points
My Pick: Here, I think the wrong team is favored. The Buckeyes are heating up, but Oregon is still the best team in college football. Ohio State was a field goal favorite when these teams played in October, and I see the same result playing out here.
Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs. Georgia Bulldogs
Dale Zanine-Imagn Images
Moneyline: Notre Dame: +125 | Georgia: -105
Spread: Georgia: -1.5 points
My Pick: As a 1.5-point underdog, Notre Dame is the only lower-seeded team in this round not to be favored to win their matchup. I expect Georgia to win this game, and even without their starting QB, I think the Bulldogs will win in decisive fashion. Give me Georgia to cover.
Over/Under Picks
Photo Courtesy of Ethan Landa
I don’t usually pick point totals, but with the College Football Playoff heating up, I’m taking a stab this week. These bets are placed on whether the sum of the game’s final is over or under the line set by BetMGM. We’ll see how it goes.
Penn State-Boise State Over/Under: 52.5 points My Pick: Under
Texas-Arizona State Over/Under: 51.5 points My Pick: Under
Oregon-Ohio State Over/Under: 55.5 points My Pick: Over
Notre Dame-Georgia Over/Under: 44.5 points My Pick: Over
![All-Access with Boise State: \](https://www.gannett-cdn.com/authoring/authoring-images/2025/01/01/USAT/77371000007-usatsi-25093661.jpg?auto=webp&crop=6487,3649,x0,y331&format=pjpg&width=1200 "All-Access with Boise State: \")
