Michigan vs Ohio State player props and best bets for NCAAF week 14

Arguably the greatest rivalry in all of sports is on tap as Ohio State hosts Michigan at Ohio Stadium hoping to beat the Wolverines for the first time since 2019.

With the Buckeyes headed to the College Football Playoff and the Wolverines having a down year, I expect Ryan Day’s best playmakers to shine in my Michigan vs. Ohio State plays props and college football picks until Saturday 30 November.

Michigan vs Ohio State props for week 14

Elections made on 11.-30.
Read the full analysis of each pick.

Michigan vs Ohio State college football player props

Prop Bet #1: Jeremiah Smith Over 77.5 receiving yards

-115 at BetMGM

It may be Jeremiah Smith’s first time playing in ‘The Game,’ but the freshman star might already be the best player to take the field on Saturday. Despite both teams being loaded with future NFL players, the 19-year-old Smith stands out.

The former five-star recruit has looked as good as former Ohio State Buckeyes greats like Marvin Harrison Jr. and Chris Olave, and no defense has consistently been able to contain him. Smith is Top-25 in the nation in receiving yards (899) and has gone for 79+ in seven of 11 games.

Michigan Wolverines All-American cornerback Will Johnson is not expected to suit up, which will be a big factor in how dominant Smith will be on Saturday. The potential Top 10 pick hasn’t played since Oct. 5 against Washington, and Michigan is 2-3 in the five games since.

Smith ranks eighth in the nation in yards per carry. route (3.33) and QBs have the ninth-highest NFL passer rating in college football when targeting him (143.0), per PFF. Meanwhile, this Michigan defense has taken a massive step back this season, ranking just 37th in EPA as of dropback on defense – Ohio State is third in scoring on offense – and allows the seventh-most passing yards per game. game in the Big Ten ( 222.3).

Prop Bet #2: Emeka Egbuka Anytime Touchdown

-105 at BetMGM

Ohio State has been a wide receiver factory for the past half-decade, and while Smith is the star pass-catcher this season, Emeka Egbuka could end up being a first-round pick come April.

It’s hard to find an anytime touchdown scorer to back the Buckeyes against Michigan, as Smith (-164), Quinshon Judkins (-164) and TreVeyon Henderson (-120) all offer minimal value with their odds. And neither has found the end zone on a consistent basis over the last month and a half.

Therefore, these -105 odds for Egbuka to score are the best play on the board. He is tied for second in TDs for Ohio State this season with nine and has scored at least once in seven of his last nine games, including three of his last four.

While Egbuka isn’t putting up mind-blowing receiving numbers overall (692 yards on 56 receptions), Ryan Day and Chip Kelly do a great job of scheming him to get into the end zone.

It also helps his case that he is Top-40 in the country in yards per carry. route (2.60), YAC (347) and contested catches. His well-rounded skill set allows him to win 50/50 balls in the red zone or create after the catch to score.

With Michigan likely to be keyed on Smith, putting six on the board against a defense that has allowed the seventh-most passing yards in the Big Ten (17) will give Egbuka an easier matchup.

Prop Bet #3: Kalel Mullings Under 45.5 rushing yards

-115 at BetMGM

It could be a long afternoon for Michigan’s offense. It’s been a massive disappointment this season and the main reason the Wolverines have struggled to find consistency from week to week.

While Kalel Mullings has been one of the few bright spots for the Michigan offense, Ohio State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles will most likely be focused on stopping the pounding running back.

The Buckeyes defense has been the best in the country this season and is ranked No. 1 of SP+. That’s going to pose a massive challenge for a Michigan offense that ranks just 38th in EPA per rush this season.

It also helps that Ohio State doesn’t have to worry much about the Michigan passing game. The Wolverines are abysmal when they pitch, sitting at 83rd in EPA per. dropback and averages the second-fewest passing yards per match in the country (140.1).

Having no passing threat should make it that much more difficult for Mullings to rush for 46-plus yards, a feat he’s accomplished just once in his last four games. Ohio State also boasts an elite front that allows the third-fewest rushing yards per game in the country (90.0) and ranks third in the EPA per rush defense.

My predictions from Michigan vs. Ohio State figures the Wolverines will come from behind in the game as 19.5-point underdogs, then erase Mullings’ O/U on Saturday.

More picks from college football and odds from Covers

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