RANT SPORTS – The Battle of Two of College Football Blue Bloods
On January 20th, the Ohio State Buckeyes are 8-point favorites over the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Ohio State is the clear favorite here, but the line has dropped slightly from the opener of 9.5. There have been no upsets during this playoff season so far. Can Notre Dame change all that and shock the world? Let’s take a closer look at this matchup.
Notre Dame undoubtedly leans on its defense. Texas had one of the top defenses in the country, and make no mistake, Notre Dame is in that class. The Irish smothered their first two opponents, Indiana and Georgia, then stepped up and handled Penn State. Although the Nittany Lions found some success late, this Notre Dame defense has been as good as any in the country this year. However, in today’s college football, even the best defenses can be beaten by precise execution.
The Luck of the Irish?
The Irish are a significant underdog due to their inconsistent offense. They make just enough plays and capitalize on timely turnovers to score points. This Notre Dame team thrives on turnovers, as evidenced by their impressive +17 turnover ratio. The Irish have forced a turnover in every game this year, and make no mistake — they must win the turnover battle to stay competitive in this game. Special teams will also be a critical area where Notre Dame must excel. They separated themselves from Georgia with a second-half kickoff return, and despite the season-long stats, they boast an excellent field goal kicker in Mitch Jeter.
To have a chance, Notre Dame needs to grind out drives and keep the ball away from the Buckeye offense. That task has become much more difficult with standout left tackle Anthonie Knapp ruled out due to a high ankle sprain. Right guard Rocco Spindler is also dealing with an ankle injury but is expected to play. A team that relies heavily on the run with an offensive line that’s not at full strength could face significant challenges in this game.
The Buckeyes are on a Mission
Ohio State has been the No. 1 power-rated team all year despite its two losses. As the playoffs have progressed, it has become clear that the Buckeyes are the team to beat. Ohio State has made multiple goal-line stands this season to secure victories when the team wasn’t at its best. The most notable regular-season stand was at Penn State in the final six minutes of the game. Shutting down Texas at the end of the semifinal further highlighted why the Buckeye defense, often overshadowed by their offense, is a force to be reckoned with.
Ohio State has allowed more than 17 points just once this year, and that was against Oregon in Eugene, where the Ducks scored 31. Yes, Oregon also put up 21 points on Ohio State backups earlier in the playoffs when the game was already decided, but the Buckeye defense remains formidable.
The offense has only been slowed down by itself. Nebraska held them to 21 points in a tough spot, sandwiched between games against Oregon and Penn State. Against Penn State, Ohio State scored just 20 points, but it was the offense’s most impressive moment of the season. After a goal-line stand, they ran off six minutes to end the game, showcasing their dominance in clutch situations. The loss to Michigan was due to uncharacteristic mistakes, reinforcing the need for expanded playoffs to ensure the best teams compete.
Ohio State leans on the pass, averaging 265 yards per game, but they also average a healthy 163 rushing yards on five yards per carry with a mobile quarterback. The Buckeyes are an 8-point favorite for a reason.
Conclusion
When you add it all up, it’s difficult to see how Notre Dame will put up enough points to stay with Ohio State. No matter how good a college football defense is, elite offensive execution can overcome it. Ohio State has clear advantages, even if both teams are fully healthy. Notre Dame’s injuries on the offensive line, especially at left tackle, are significant. Anthonie Knapp’s absence and Rocco Spindler’s limited mobility will be challenging for the Irish to overcome against this talented Buckeye defense.
For the Irish to compete for 60 minutes, they’ll need excellent special teams play, a stolen possession or two, and at least a +2 turnover margin. However, this seems unlikely. While the game might be a slugfest early, as time goes on, expect Ohio State to pull away and claim the National Championship.
FILE – Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) waves after the NFL Super Bowl 58 football game against the San Francisco 49ers Sunday, Feb. 11, 2024, in Las Vegas. Kelce will bring his highly successful music festival called Kelce Jam back to Kansas City. The second annual one-day event held on May 18 will be hosted by the superstar tight end of the Chiefs and headlined by Lil Wayne, 2 Chainz, Diplo and local legend Tech N9ne. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II, File)
RANT SPORTS – As Super Bowl LIX Beckons, Football Fans Gravitate to Key Stats and Storylines
On February 9, 2025, the NFC and AFC Conference Champions will meet at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana, for Super Bowl LIX. Football fans have been piling into the action all season to make their picks and predictions for the winner.
As Super Bowl Sunday beckons, there will be a tsunami of interest in the many different forms of football betting. Last year, the Super Bowl set records for American wagering, with some $23 billion bet. This year, seeing the popularity of the big game, platforms are going all out to appeal to this mass of betting interest.
So, there are plenty of offers bouncing around and unique ways to bet on the outcomes of Super Bowl LIX. Keep reading to explore these novel options and discover some stats to keep in mind for the potential Super Bowl contenders this year.
A Diverse Landscape for Super Bowl Fans
Every year, betting lines light up with a whole range of quirky selections. For the Super Bowl, prop markets are always a point of interest – and not just for the player lines. The length of the national anthem, style of the halftime performer’s attire, and the color of the winning team’s Gatorade douse are all in the odds.
In daily fantasy sports betting, the lines can also see a bit more variation. With some platforms, you’ll be able to bundle in these once-a-year kind of props. Many will also offer boosts on certain players hitting or missing their under-over lines. Others are adapting the formula entirely for the big game.
At Sleeper, the emphasis is on collaborating with your squad to make top fantasy picks. You’ll all get to select the DFS player lines that you think will happen, bundle them into a picks list, and watch the stats move in real time. With the Super Bowl fast approaching, savvy DFS teams will be claiming a Sleeper promo for NFL betting like this.
With the offer, each player will get a $55 bonus cash offer after playing $5. So, naturally, many teams will open an account, make the $10 deposit, play $5 on an upcoming game of the NFL, NBA, or anything else, and then get their 11 $5 bonus wagers to use on the big game.
What to Keep in Mind for the Super Bowl
On the NFC side, coming into the Conference Championships, Jayden Daniels absolutely had the upper hand on the Eagles’ QB, who’d suffered a concussion and then a leg injury. However, the Philadelphia defense ranked as the best in the NFL by quite some margin, only allowing 278.4 yards on average. It was Philadelphia that romped to an easy 55-23 victory.
Over in AFC territory, the Super Bowl machine that are the Kansas City Chiefs might have a shot at history with the unheard-of three-peat, after their 32-29 win over the Bills. There’s also Travis Kelce’s shot at unseating one of Jerry Rice’s long-standing records. With just three receptions in the big game, Kelce would overtake Rice’s haul of 33 takes at the Super Bowl.
Super Bowl LIX promises to be a fascinating game, with a second matchup of these two teams in three years. That contest came down to the final seconds, but who will win this one?
The bigger question here is, where will fans be placing their bets for the colossal event?
William Byron (24) and Kyle Busch (18) race into turn one during the NASCAR Cup series auto race in Richmond, Va., Saturday, Sept. 11, 2021. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)
RANT SPORTS – NASCAR likes to open with a short track exhibition
A week before heading to Daytona for the 2025 NASCAR season, they will kick off the year with an exhibition race on Saturday night under the lights. The event, known as The Cookout will take place at Bowman Gray Stadium, a NASCAR-sanctioned quarter-mile asphalt flat oval short track and a historic football stadium in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
The race, also known as The Clash, will mark the debut for several new drivers. Two of the top young talents making their NASCAR Cup Series debuts are Tim Brown for Rick Racing and Burt Myers for Team Amerivet.
This race also features the Front Row Motorsports debut for Noah Gragson and the return of Zane Smith that team. Additionally, Todd Gilliland will be driving the flagship No. 38 after three seasons in the No. 34. Furthermore, Josh Berry iin the iconic Wood Brothers No. 21 Ford.
Some familiar names with new and full season rides
AJ Allmendinger has returned to Kaulig Racing full-time, while Riley Herbst has joined 23XI Racing. Cole Custer is back now full time at the Haas Factory Team. Cody Ware is also time in the family-owned No. 51.
Ryan Preece is debuting for RFK Racing and Michael McDowell has moved to Spire Motorsports. Shane Van Gisbergen is racing full-time in Cup for Trackhouse Racing
Here is the full list of cars the teams
1 | Ross Chastain | Phil Surgen | Trackhouse Racing | Chevrolet
2 | Austin Cindric | Brian Wilson | Team Penske | Ford
3 | Austin Dillon | Richard Boswell | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet
4 | Noah Gragson | Drew Blickensderfer | Front Row Motorsports | Ford
24 | William Byron | Rudy Fugle | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet
34 | Todd Gilliland | Chris Lawson | Front Row Motorsports | Ford
35 | Riley Herbst | Davin Restivo | 23XI Racing | Toyota
38 | Zane Smith | Ryan Bergentry | Front Row Motorsports | Ford
41 | Cole Custer | Aaron Kramer | Haas Factory Team | Ford
42| John Hunter Nemechek | Travis Mack | Legacy Motor Club | Toyota
43| Erik Jones | Ben Beshore | Legacy Motor Club | Toyot
45 | Tyler Reddick | Billy Scott | 23XI Racing | Toyota
47| Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | Mike Kelley | HYAK Racing | Ford
48| Alex Bowman | Blake Harris | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet
50 | Burt Myers | Tony Eury Jr. | Team Amerivet | Chevrolet
51 | Justin Haley | Billy Plourde |Rick Ware Racing | Ford
54 | Ty Gibbs | Tyler Allen | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota
60 | Ryan Preece | Derrick Finley | RFK Racing | Ford
66 | Garrett Smithley | Carl Long | Garage 66 | Ford
71 | Michael McDowell | Travis Peterson | Spire Motorsports | Chevrolet
77 | Carson Hocevar | Luke Lambert | Spire Motorsports | Chevrolet
88 | Shane Van Gisbergen | Stephen Doran | Trackhouse Racing | Chevrolet
99 | Daniel Suarez | Matt Swiderski | Trackhouse Racing | Chevrolet
Where to watch and listen to the race
Practice and qualifying is set for 6:10 on FS1 and heat races are set for 8:30 on FS1. The last chance race is set for 6 p.m. on Sunday on FOX and the main event is scheduled for 8 on FOX.
