The Minnesota Golden Gophers will travel to Columbus, Ohio to face the #1-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes at Ohio Stadium in week 12 of the college football season with the game kicking off at 4:00 PM on Saturday afternoon and the game will air on the Big Ten Network.

Minnesota enters this game with a record of 5-5 which includes a record of 3-4 in the Big Ten and needs to win one of their next two games either against the Ohio State Buckeyes or the Wisconsin Badgers in their season finale next weekend. The Golden Gophers are on a two-game losing streak and are coming off a loss against one of the worst teams in the conference on the road against the Purdue Boilermakers by a score of 30-49 while failing to cover the 2-point spread as a road favorite. The Minnesota Golden Gophers have been below-average offensively and defensively this season as they enter this game averaging 22.5 points per game while allowing an average of 25.8 points per game. Minnesota has been outgained by their opponents this season by an average of 318.6 to 364 yards per game and things won’t get any easier as they will be going against one of the best defensive teams in college football when they play the Buckeyes on Saturday afternoon.

The Ohio State Buckeyes are ranked 1^st in the College Football Playoff rankings and have been one of the best teams in the country as they enter this game with a record of 10-0 and a record of 7-0 in the Big Ten with next week’s game against their rivals, the Michigan Wolverines, likely deciding the Big Ten East Division and more than likely a spot in the college football playoffs. The Buckeyes have been above-average both offensively and defensively as they enter this game allowing the 2^nd fewest points per game in college football with an average of 9.9 points per game while averaging 33.3 points per game which means the Buckeyes have outscored their opponents by an average margin of 23.4 points per game this season and will be going against a below-average offense when they host the Minnesota Golden Gophers in week 12 of the college football season.

BookMaker has the Ohio State Buckeyes listed as 27.5-point favorites at home against the Minnesota Golden Gophers on Saturday afternoon in week 12 of the college football season. Ohio State has won the previous ten games in the series and has won by an average margin of 21.8 points per game in the last ten and 14.67 points per game over the last three meetings. The Golden Gophers are 5-4-1 ATS in the last ten and 2-0-1 ATS in the last three games in the series. The Minnesota Golden Gophers are 3-7 ATS overall, 1-3 ATS on the road, 1-2 ATS as an underdog, and 2-5 ATS in conference games this season while the Ohio State Buckeyes are 6-3-1 ATS overall, 4-1 ATS at home, 6-3-1 ATS as a favorite, and 5-2 ATS in conference games on the year.

Ohio State has not only been one of the best teams in the Big Ten but they have also been one of the best teams at covering the spread going 6-3-1 ATS overall and 5-2 ATS in conference games while Minnesota has struggled to cover the spread this season going 3-7 ATS overall and 2-5 ATS in conference games. I look for those trends to continue which is why I am buying the .5 point and laying the points with the Ohio State Buckeyes when they host the Minnesota Golden Gophers on Saturday afternoon.