Opening Line: Indiana Massive Underdog in Season Opener Against Ohio State
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Indiana football opens the 2023 season against a perennial powerhouse, and oddsmakers don't give the Hoosiers much of a chance.
Kickoff between Indiana and No. 3 Ohio State is scheduled for Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET inside Memorial Stadium in Bloomington, Ind. It's a nationally-televised game on CBS, with broadcasters Brad Nessler, Gary Danielson and Jenny Dell.
As of Saturday morning, Ohio State is favored by 30.5 points and the over/under is set at 59.5 points. Ohio State's current moneyline odds are minus-10000, and Indiana is a plus-11000 underdog, per the SI Sportsbook.
These odds don't come as a surprise, as coach Ryan Day and the Buckeyes enter the season with national-championship-or-bust aspirations at No. 3 in the first Associated Press top-25 poll. Ohio State is tied with Alabama for the second best odds to win the national championship at plus-600, only behind the two-time defending national champion Georgia Bulldogs at plus-225, per the SI Sportsbook.
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Indiana, on the other hand, enters a crucial seventh full season under head coach Tom Allen. After building the program up with back-to-back bowl game appearances and a 14-7 combined record in 2019 and 2020, Indiana regressed to a 6-18 stretch since the start of the 2021 season.
Aside from team captains Aaron Casey and Noah Pierre, Allen has new faces all over the defense. He said Monday that the team's biggest question mark is the secondary due to roster turnover, and the group will be tested in a major way against Ohio State receivers Marvin Harrison Jr. and Emeka Egbuka.
Allen has internally named a starting quarterback, but Ohio State and fans won't know until game day whether Tennessee transfer Tayven Jackson or fellow redshirt freshman Brendan Sorsby won the starting job.
Allen knows whoever is under center has a massive challenge in their first collegiate start, but he feels it can ultimately help them in the long run.
"There's nothing like being tested by the best," Allen said. "Those that are elite competitors, they thrive in that. They want that. They can't wait for those things to happen. Even though it isn't the easiest way to start something out, I think it also can be the best way for you to become who I believe you can become."
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