Ohio State opens as 50.5-point favorite at Rutgers

Josh Newman | Asbury Park Press

Show Caption Hide Caption New Rutgers Athletic Center New Rutgers Athletic Center on Thursday, September 12, 2019.

PISCATAWAY - The fascination regarding what the Ohio State-Rutgers point spread would be now has a number attached to it. That number, as expected, is quite large.

The fourth-ranked Buckeyes were installed as 50.5-point favorites on Sunday afternoon ahead of its trip to Rutgers on Saturday (3:30 p.m., Big Ten Network).

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The opening line comes with Ohio State being without star defensive end and Heisman Trophy candidate Chase Young, who sat out Saturday's win at Maryland as the NCAA investigates his accepting a loan from a family friend. Young is expected to miss another three games. Without Young, the Buckeyes covered a 43-point spread against the Terrapins via a 73-14 win.

The spread was bet up to as high as 54 on Sunday afternoon. As of Monday morning, Las Vegas sportsbooks were offering lines ranging from 51-52.5.

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On Oct. 1, 2016, Rutgers lost at Ohio State, 58-0, as a 39-point underdog. Dating back to 1997, the largest spread involving Rutgers came on Sept. 8, 2001 when No. 1 Miami beat the Scarlet Knights at the Orange Bowl, 61-0, as a 44-point favorite.

Below are the seven highest point spreads involving Rutgers dating back to 1997.

Sept. 8, 2001: Plus-44 (Miami 61, Rutgers 0)

Oct. 19, 2002: Plus-42.5 (Virginia Tech 35, Rutgers 14)

Nov. 2, 2002: Plus-40.5 (Miami 42, Rutgers 17)

Sept. 28, 2002: Plus-40.5 (Tennessee 35, Rutgers 14)

Sept. 19, 1998: Plus-40 (Syracuse 70, Rutgers 14)

Oct. 1, 2016: Plus-39 (Ohio State 58, Rutgers 0)

Sept. 6, 1997: Plus-38.5 (Texas 48, Rutgers 14)

In the weeks leading up to Sunday, professional bettors were producing algorithms that had the spread opening in the neighborhood of 50 or 51. A spread this wide between two Power Five programs is not unprecedented, but instances have been very few and far between.

Josh Newman is currently the beat reporter for Rutgers University sports. He's a native of Commack, New York, on the north shore of Long Island, and is almost entirely free of his New York accent. Contact him at jnewman4@gannettnj.com