The Ohio State Buckeyes suffered what, at first glance, appears to be a devastating loss at the hands of the Penn State Nittany Lions on Saturday evening. However, when it comes to the National Championship picture, Urban Meyer's team remains in extremely favorable position according to the wise guys in Las Vegas.
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The good folks at the Westgate Las Vegas released updated National Championship odds on Sunday and, aside from Alabama (the favorite at 8-to-5), no team is considered more likely to claim the ultimate prize than the Buckeyes. Following Ohio State, who now sits with 3-to-1 odds, comes Michigan (5-to-1), Louisville (7-to-1), Washington (7-to-1) and Clemson (8-to-1), with other undefeated teams like West Virginia (40-to-1) lagging considerably behind.
Because of a schedule that includes future games against Nebraska, Michigan and a potential visit to the Big Ten Championship Game, Ohio State has a prime opportunity to avenge what was a controversial loss. Beyond that, though, Meyer and his staff have garnered a healthy level of respect given their recent dominance in the Big Ten, and that leads to a benefit of the doubt that not every team would receive in similar circumstances.
It remains to be seen if Ohio State can run the table with their remaining schedule, but if they do, the Buckeyes should still be considered a legitimate title contender.
