Oregon and Ohio State square off in the college football title game Monday at AT&T Stadium in Arlington. College football writers and television analysts are weighing in with their picks, along with computer power rankings and simulations and such, and we’ve rounded them up for you here.
69 National Championship picks: Experts and computers predict Oregon over Ohio State
But by a slim margin, especially compared to the championship games of recent years.
Oregon has the slight pundit advantage and is favored in Las Vegas by about a touchdown, but the split between the two teams is fairly even. This isn’t one of those years with a massive favorite expected to blow out its opponent.
The Ducks’ beatdown of Florida State and season of dominance made them the big favorite, but Ohio State’s upset of Alabama, raw talent advantage, and coaching experience advantage make them a frequent pick, including among betting sharps, according to one sportsbook. Some computer formula ratings favor the Buckeyes as well.
Also, many of these picks were made before Oregon’s surprise suspension loss of top receiver Darren Carrington.
Pick ohio state
Picking Oregon straight up
- Holly Anderson, Grantland
- Bryan Curtis, Grantland
- Billingsley Report computer rating
- Scout’s CollegeFootballNews.com
- Rob Dewolf, BuckeyeExtra
- Dennis Dodd, CBS Sports
- Dunkel Index computer rating
- Bud Elliott, SB Nation
- ESPN’s Football Power Index computer rating
- JIMMY FALLON’S PUPPIES
- Pat Forde, Yahoo!
- Football Outsiders’ FEI computer rating
- David Fox, Athlon Sports
- James Franklin, Penn State head coach
- Steven Godfrey, SB Nation
- Spencer Hall, SB Nation
- Matt Hinton, Grantland
- Todd Jones, Columbus Dispatch
- Danny Kanell, ESPN
- Jason Kirk, SB Nation
- Adam Kramer, Bleacher Report
- Mark May, ESPN
- The Massey ratings
- OddsShark’s computer rating
- Ryan O’Hanlon, Grantland
- The Oregonian
- Jerry Palm, CBS Sports
- Brian Pedersen, Bleacher Report
- Brian Phillips, Grantland
- PredictionMachine.com simulation
- Rich Rodriguez, Arizona head coach
- Mark Ross, Athlon Sports
- Chris Ryan, Grantland
- Dan Rubenstein, SB Nation (video above)
- Barrett Sallee, Bleacher Report
- Jon Solomon, CBS Sports
- Andy Staples, Sports Illustrated
- Ray Stein, Columbus Dispatch
- Clay Travis, FOX Sports
- Pete Volk, SB Nation
- Michael Weinreb, Grantland
- WhatIfSports simulation
Picking Ohio State straight up
- Matt Borcas, Grantland
- Matt Brown, SB Nation
- Colley Matrix computer rating
- Bill Connelly, SB Nation
- Steve Coughlin, ESPN
- Chris Fallica, ESPN
- Michael Felder, Bleacher Report
- Football Outsiders’ S&P+ computer rating
- Tom Fornelli, CBS Sports
- Joey Galloway, ESPN
- Jerry Hinnen, CBS Sports
- Brady Hoke, former Michigan head coach (he picked “Ohio”)
- Lou Holtz, ESPN
- Bob Hunter, Columbus Dispatch
- KC Joyner, ESPN
- Brian Kelly, Notre Dame head coach
- Steven Lassan, Athlon Sports
- Mitch Light, Athlon Sports
- Tim May, Columbus Dispatch
- Most coaches, according to ESPN
- Rob Oller, Columbus Dispatch
- Chip Patterson, CBS Sports
- Bill Rabinowitz, Columbus Dispatch
- Mallory Rubin, Grantland
- Jeff Sagarin’s computer rating
- Andrew Sharp, Grantland
- Luke Zimmermann, SB Nation
Neither
Michigan State’s Mark Dantonio, the only coach to face both Ohio State and Oregon this season
Accidental Oregon picks
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