Ohio State’s odds to win the 2014-15 college football championship were raised to 50-to-1 upon news that starting QB Braxton Miller is out for the season with a shoulder injury, LVH SuperBook manager Ed Salmons told The Linemakers on Sporting News in a text message.
Prior to the news, the Buckeyes were listed at 12-to-1 odds to win the national championship game, behind only five teams on the SuperBook’s board. Four of those teams – Florida State, Alabama, Oregon and Oklahoma – had their prices shortened in response to Braxton’s injury.
At William Hill sports books, Ohio State's futures price was moved from 8-to-1 to 22-to-1, according to senior trader Adam Pullen.
Ohio State was a 17.5-point favorite for its season-opening game next Saturday, Aug. 30 at Navy. The game, for now, has been taken off the board. Wagering on OSU’s win-total prop and the Big 10 championship game has also been suspended. The LVH expects to update those numbers and reopen betting on them Wednesday.
While the loss of Braxton will obviously create plenty of hesitation when it comes to betting on the Buckeyes, Sporting News college football columnist Matt Hayes urges us not to panic. Writes Hayes, "The plan is simple: with Miller unable to play, OSU coach Urban Meyer’s ability to recruit quarterbacks to his system comes into play. ... It’s still way too early to proclaim (whether JT. Barrett or Cardale Don'Jones) will start the season opener against Navy, but know this: whoever does, he’ll be prepared. And he’ll fit the system.”
Here are updated college football futures from the LVH.
ODDS TO WIN 2015 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME (odds as of Monday in parentheses, if changed)
FLORIDA ST 11-4 (3-1)
ALABAMA 9-2 (5-1)
OREGON 6-1 (7-1)
OKLAHOMA 7-1 (8-1)
UCLA 10-1
AUBURN 12-1
GEORGIA 18-1
LSU 20-1
BAYLOR 25-1
MICHIGAN ST 25-1
SOUTH CAROLINA 30-1
USC 30-1
WISCONSIN 35-1
STANFORD 50-1
OHIO ST 50-1 (12-1)
OLE MISS 50-1
For the full list of updated college football futures, check out The Linemakers on Sporting News.