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  1. Home
  2. NCAAB Picks
  3. Youngstown St. Penguins vs Ohio St. Buckeyes
Fri 6:30 PM ET
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Youngstown St.
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versus
Ohio St. Buckeyes logo
Ohio St.
Buckeyes
0-1
NCAAB · Youngstown St. Penguins at Ohio St. Buckeyes

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Youngstown St. Penguins vs Ohio St. Buckeyes prediction, odds and projected score

Game time: November 6, 2026 at 6:30 PM ET

Venue: Schottenstein Center — Columbus, OH

Article updated Nov 5, 10:18 PM EST

By SportsJaw Editorial Team

Ohio State is projected to beat Youngstown State 91-68, with four double-digit scorers in its opener giving the Buckeyes several offensive options at home. The Penguins’ road victory makes the 25.5-point spread worth questioning, but neither that result nor Ohio State’s series dominance makes the supplied price actionable. The official recommendation is Pass on both the spread and total.

Youngstown St. Penguins vs Ohio St. Buckeyes prediction and best bet

Ohio State is the pick to win this 2026-27 men’s college basketball matchup on November 6, 2026. Its scoring contributions against No. 25 BYU and unbeaten record against Youngstown State favor the Buckeyes, even after an opening loss. The forecast is Ohio State 91, Youngstown State 68, with medium confidence in the winner.

The best betting decision is Pass. Youngstown State’s opening victory offers a reason to consider the points, but one game against a different opponent is a thin foundation for a spread wager. Ohio State can be the likely winner without being an attractive bet at -25.5 (-110).

Odds, game time and how to watch

Game time: Friday, November 6, 2026, at 6:30 p.m. Eastern.

Venue: Schottenstein Center in Columbus, Ohio. This is Ohio State’s home opener.

Broadcast: B1G+.

Records: Youngstown St. Penguins 1-0; Ohio St. Buckeyes 0-1.

SportsJaw moneylines: Youngstown State +3,000; Ohio State -10,000.

SportsJaw odds: Youngstown St. Penguins +25.5 (-110); Ohio St. Buckeyes -25.5 (-110). Moneyline: Youngstown St. Penguins +3,233; Ohio St. Buckeyes -4,900. Total: Over 154.5 (-110); Under 154.5 (-110).

21+. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. Picks are opinions, not guarantees. Past results do not predict future outcomes.

Youngstown St. Penguins outlook

Youngstown State began November 2 with a 79-71 victory at St. Bonaventure. Its official preview credits junior Linus Holmstrom with 26 points, including 21 after halftime. Ohio State’s preview independently confirms the victory and reports that Holmstrom made six three-pointers. His shooting was a substantial part of that opening success.

Senior Kelvin Amoako added 14 points and 10 rebounds, while Dom Aekins recorded seven assists. Those contributions give the Penguins an encouraging starting point: Holmstrom supplied perimeter scoring, Amoako contributed a double-double, and Aekins helped create shots. They are individual opening-game performances, however, rather than established season averages.

For Youngstown State, the offensive question is whether those complementary contributions carry into Columbus. Another productive shooting night from Holmstrom would help the underdog keep scoring pressure on Ohio State. His opener makes that a plausible route to competitiveness, though it would be premature to expect six threes again.

Ohio St. Buckeyes outlook

Ohio State lost 94-83 to No. 25 BYU on November 2, a result confirmed by both schools’ previews. Youngstown State’s report lists Amare Bynum with 20 points on 7-for-10 shooting, John Mobley Jr. with 14 points and seven assists, Andrija Jelavic with 13 points, and Justin Pippen with 12.

Those four scoring contributions are the most useful current reason to favor the Buckeyes. Bynum converted efficiently in that game, while Mobley contributed as both a scorer and distributor. If Ohio State gets comparable contributions here, Youngstown State would have several scoring threats to account for.

The defensive result is the concern. Allowing 94 points in the opener merits caution before backing a large favorite, but the opponent matters: that performance came against ranked BYU. It should temper expectations for Ohio State’s defense without becoming a forecast that Youngstown State will enjoy the same success.

Key matchup factors

Ohio State’s official preview reports six wins in six meetings with Youngstown State, all in Columbus, with an average margin exceeding 32 points. The Penguins’ preview identifies an 81-47 Ohio State victory on November 11, 2024. That history favors the home team, but previous margins offer limited guidance on the precise gap between these teams today.

The central tension is between Ohio State’s multiple scoring options and Youngstown State’s encouraging road performance. The Buckeyes have the stronger winning case; the Penguins have shown enough offensive production to make a comfortable Ohio State victory and a Youngstown State cover compatible outcomes.

SportsJaw’s community spread leader was Youngstown St. Penguins +25.5 (-110), with 100% of the community percentage as of November 5 at 17:31 UTC. That is member sentiment, not a win probability or a qualified-handicapper recommendation. It adds context to the underdog discussion without establishing a betting advantage.

Youngstown St. Penguins vs Ohio St. Buckeyes spread prediction

Spread recommendation: Pass on Youngstown State +25.5 (-110) and Ohio State -25.5 (-110). The projected 23-point margin falls on the Penguins’ side, but a 2.5-point cushion between an editorial forecast and the spread is too narrow to trust with only one current game from each team.

Youngstown State’s opening win makes taking the points tempting. Ohio State’s historically wide margins supply the counterargument. Neither deserves enough weight to turn this forecast into an official spread bet.

Youngstown St. Penguins vs Ohio St. Buckeyes total prediction

Total recommendation: Pass on Over 154.5 (-110) and Under 154.5 (-110). Ohio State’s opener produced 177 combined points; Youngstown State’s produced 150. Those totals describe two different matchups, and averaging them would overlook the role of the opponents.

The 91-68 forecast totals 159 points, giving the projection an Over tendency. Still, there is too little current evidence about pace or repeatable scoring efficiency to recommend Over 154.5 (-110). The Under also lacks a convincing case.

Youngstown St. Penguins vs Ohio St. Buckeyes Projected Score & Betting Picks

Game forecast: Ohio State 91, Youngstown State 68. Ohio State’s opening scoring contributions and home series record support the winner selection. The strongest counterargument is Youngstown State’s road victory, particularly Holmstrom’s shooting, alongside the Buckeyes’ difficult defensive opener.

Confidence is medium in Ohio State to win, with greater uncertainty around the margin and total. The projection allows for a decisive Buckeyes victory while the Penguins finish inside the spread. Official SportsJaw wager: Pass.

SportsJawGame Predictions
Predicted score

Penguins68

Buckeyes91

Projected winner Ohio St. BuckeyesConfidencemedium
Pick on the Spread

Published pick: Pass on Youngstown St. Penguins +25.5 (-110) and Ohio St. Buckeyes -25.5 (-110)

Pick on the Total

Published pick: Pass on Over 154.5 (-110) and Under 154.5 (-110)

Sources

  • Youngstown State UniversityPenguins Visit In-State Foe Ohio State Friday Night
  • Ohio StateOhio State Opens Home Slate Against Youngstown State Friday
#YoungstownStPenguins#OhioStBuckeyes

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Written by

SportsJaw Editorial Team

SportsJaw's editorial organization researches matchup data, current odds, injuries and reporting, then validates each published preview against its listed sources and displayed markets.

About our editorial process

SportsJaw Penguins vs Buckeyes game preview analysis and predictions incorporate current odds, injury reports, team statistics and market data. Information is updated regularly, but lines and player availability can change. Please confirm current information before wagering. View history of past Penguins vs Buckeyes matchups or learn how our predictions work.

Current matchup data

Lines, trends and availability

Line movement since open

  • Moneyline · Youngstown St. Penguins+1,438 → +3,233Moved
  • Moneyline · Ohio St. Buckeyes-6,150 → -4,900Moved
  • Spread · Youngstown St. Penguins+25.5 (-110) → +25.5 (-110)Unchanged
  • Spread · Ohio St. Buckeyes-25.5 (-110) → -25.5 (-110)Unchanged
  • Total · Over153.5 (-115) → 154.5 (-110)Moved
  • Total · Under153.5 (-105) → 154.5 (-110)Moved

ATS and O/U trends

Youngstown St. Penguins
1-0 matchup record · 5-5-0 ATS · 4-6-0 O/U
Last 10 completed games on file
Ohio St. Buckeyes
0-1 matchup record · 7-3-0 ATS · 5-5-0 O/U
Last 10 completed games on file

Injuries and availability

From the published research (2026-11-06T03:18:59.055Z). Availability may have changed; review the cited sources.

No verified injury or availability note was included in the published matchup research.

Recent head-to-head

No completed head-to-head result is available in the current history window.

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