The Grambling State Tigers know they’re in for a beatdown on Saturday in Columbus when they clash with the No. 1 Ohio State Buckeyes.
The Tigers are being paid nearly $3 million, according to the Columbus Dispatch[1]. The HBCU program isn’t exactly a powerhouse, finishing just 5-7 overall and 2-6 in the SWAC West division last year.
Betting odds for this game weren’t available until Friday evening. Ohio State is favored by 55.5 points—an almost comically large margin. The line wasn’t posted sooner because of the massive talent gap and the fact that sportsbook trading teams preferred to focus on Week 2 matchups that would actually attract action and interest.
This game is guaranteed to be a non-competitive cash grab. Everybody knows it.
“They’ve got a great band, and we’ve got a great band,” Grambling State head coach Mickey Joseph joked to reporters[2]. “We’re going to compete as a band.”
While the jokes are fun, Joseph and his staff understand reality.
“We understand what we’re getting into,” Joseph said. “We understand what’s going to happen.”
He went on to explain that Ohio State’s resources and scholarship advantages simply aren’t balanced against what Grambling State is working with.
The reigning national champion Buckeyes[3] are freshly ranked No. 1 after dethroning Arch Manning’s Texas Longhorns. Grambling State is coming off a 55-7 blowout of Langford University, but that result means very little in this matchup.
And it’s not just Ohio State. College football’s Week 2 slate is littered with lopsided affairs. Texas should bounce back because they’re playing San Jose State. Texas Tech is a 48.5-point favorite against Kent State, who just won their first game in over 700 days last week. No. 4 Georgia hosts Austin Peay. The list goes on.
Now that the College Football Playoff committee is focusing more on strength of schedule, maybe these big-money mismatches will eventually fade. But does anybody really want to see Ohio State lambaste Grambling State? The Buckeyes’ starters will likely be pulled by halftime.
College football has always been about money—it’s the worst-kept secret in sports. Unfortunately for fans, this weekend offers very few compelling games because of these guaranteed paydays.
“We all know why we’re playing the game,” Joseph said.
References
- ^ according to the Columbus Dispatch (www.dispatch.com)
- ^ Grambling State head coach Mickey Joseph joked to reporters (scarletandgame.com)
- ^ reigning national champion Buckeyes (deadspin.com)