Ohio State-Oregon title game one for the books

Even if he’s starting in the NFL next season, it’s a good bet that Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota is not going to be involved in a bigger game than the one he’s starting in today.

The Ducks are 6-point favorites over Ohio State in the inaugural College Football Playoff national championship in Arlington, Texas. More than 24 hours before kickoff, the game already had surpassed expectations at Las Vegas sports books.

The wagering handle is projected to be larger than anything Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Aaron Rodgers or the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks created over the weekend.

“It’s big. It’s going to be bigger than any of the four NFL playoff games,” said Nick Bogdanovich, William Hill sports book director. “It’s a great matchup, and we’ve still got a day to go.

“It’s quite a bit of Oregon money.”

Mariota, the Heisman Trophy winner, and the Ducks are drawing a majority of the support from the betting public to drive the line to 6½ at some books.

“I think it’s got a chance to close 7,” Westgate Las Vegas sports book manager Ed Salmons said. “This game has got a lot of Super Bowl to it. We’re writing a lot of Ohio State money line and Oregon point spread tickets.”

The Buckeyes are plus-180 to win on the money line. The handle will be nowhere near $100 million in Nevada, but the game is similar to a Super Bowl in that it’s a popular tactic by the public to play the underdog on the money line and the favorite to cover the spread.

The Westgate posted more than 20 proposition wagers, including Mariota’s completions (23½), longest completion (55½ yards), touchdown passes (2½) and rushing yards (60½). Mariota is getting 5-1 odds to score the first touchdown.

The total of 75 promises an entertaining shootout, and high-scoring games attract more prop betting action.

The Buckeyes are attracting underdog bettors partly because of coach Urban Meyer’s history of success in that role. In his three seasons at Ohio State, Meyer is 5-0 as a ’dog, including a 59-0 blowout of Wisconsin in the Big Ten title game in December and a 42-35 upset of No. 1 Alabama in the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 1.

Ezekiel Elliott rushed for 230 yards and two touchdowns as the Buckeyes ran over the Crimson Tide. That was only the second start for Ohio State quarterback Cardale Jones.

Florida State rolled up 528 yards in the Rose Bowl, which the Ducks won in a 59-20 romp as Mariota passed for 338 yards.

“The real question here is whether or not Oregon’s defense can stop Ohio State, and I don’t think it can,” said Micah Roberts, an analyst for “The Linemakers” on SportingNews.com and a former book director. “The Buckeyes’ running game won’t be stopped.”

Roberts is siding with the Buckeyes, who are 9-2-1 against the spread in their past 12 games against Pac-12 Conference opponents.

“There are other intangibles such as Ohio State’s coaching edge with Meyer,” Roberts said.

Contact reporter Matt Youmans at myoumans@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2907. Follow him on Twitter: @mattyoumans247.