Julian Sayin, a Heisman finalist just last year, is out indefinitely with an arm injury, throwing a massive curveball into Ohio State’s season and creating the biggest question mark heading into the weekend. Freshman Luke Fahey is set to start under center at USC, and the ripple effects are already showing up on the betting lines.
The Buckeye Quarterback Conundrum
Think about this: a look-ahead line for the Ohio State game last week had them at -3. But after Sayin’s injury news dropped and USC’s awful seven-point performance last weekend , seriously, Jayden Maiava threw two picks! , Circa Sports in Vegas opened Ohio State at -7 on Sunday. That’s a huge shift! Ed Salmons, a former Las Vegas bookmaker who’s been crushing it with his picks, told me straight up, “Lookaheads are lookaheads for a reason.” He explained you just have to drop USC’s number because they were that bad. But here’s where it gets really interesting: Salmons did his homework on Ohio State and isn’t convinced Fahey will finish the game. He thinks Tavien St. Clair, who he calls a “better prospect” and “a lot bigger,” could step in if Fahey isn’t playing well. Ohio State, according to Salmons, is “just a much tougher team than USC.” Does that stop smart bettors? Nope. Professional bettor “Slice” jumped on USC +7, saying he’d “take my chances against a young quarterback laying a touchdown on the road.” He sees it as a solid bounce back spot for USC after that loss. If they’re any good, they’ll show it now.
UCLA Is Straight Up Dominating the Numbers Game
While we’re talking about crazy betting stories, can we just take a second for UCLA? Last week, their run got even better. They covered again, making them a ridiculous 7-0 straight up and against the spread! If you bet their regular season win total “Over” at 5.5, 6, or 6.5, you’re sitting pretty thanks to head coach Bob Chesney’s sensational first year. They’re tied with Kentucky (7-1 ATS) as the best cover teams in the country. And let’s not forget BYU, Georgia Southern, Louisiana Tech, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma State, Oregon State, and Utah, all crushing it at 6-1 ATS. Speaking of BYU, remember all those Cougar fans who thought they were a top-10 team? I had people getting wild on social media because I said they weren’t and UCF plus the points was the move. Vegas oddsmaker Motoi Pearson summed it up perfectly: “I don’t make numbers with my feelings.” He had them 19th before the UCF game and now they’re 21st, but still good enough to crash the College Football Playoff. So, while some teams are question marks, others are just printing money.
NFL Shocks and Smart Picks Keep Rolling
Over in the NFL, can you believe the Minnesota Vikings are the last undefeated team? Kansas City and San Francisco both took their first losses, leaving the Vikes standing alone, exactly like we all thought back in September, right? One American sportsbook even had the Vikings at 40/1 to lose last, which is just wild. And speaking of smart money, Ed Salmons is on an absolute tear, giving this column a winner in six of the last seven weeks. The man is pure gold! This week, he’s got UConn +3. He actually thinks they’re gonna win outright because Air Force is down to their third-string quarterback, and he believes UConn is “a lot better than people think.” So, whether you’re watching the Buckeyes navigate a QB crisis, marveling at UCLA’s insane ATS run, or keeping an eye on the surprising Vikings, there’s always something wild happening in the sports world. USC better bring their A-game against Ohio State, because this is the kind of matchup where a young quarterback can either sink or swim.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Fox Sports.
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