We are a big fan of prop bets. They are usually a crap shoot, but with the right research, you can end up winning a bet with very favorable odds.

I’m not saying you can research who will win the coin toss, but there are many other player and team prop bets out there that have nice odds.

Some prop bets aren’t worth the money (the vig isn’t worth the slight risk), but sometimes you just have to lay a few bucks down, cross your fingers and wish the best.

I picked out some of the most popular prop bets for the 2015 College Football National Championship game between Ohio State and Oregon.

Let me know if you’re betting any of these props. Good luck!

Cardale Jones (Ohio State) Total Passing Yards

– Over 264.5 Yards
– Under 264.5 Yards

Cardale Jones has never thrown for more than 257 yards in a game…but this is just his third college start. The Buckeyes had a huge lead on Wisconsin and didn’t need to keep passing. Jones threw for 243 yards against Alabama. That’s the equivalent of around 400 yards against nearly any non-SEC defense. This game should be high-scoring, so this total is obtainable

Prediction: OVER

 

Marcus Mariota (Oregon) Total Passing Yards

– Over 319.5 Yards
– Under 319.5 Yards

Mariota’s Heisman campaign included five games in which he surpassed 320 passing yards. He seems to be good for at least 350 yards from scrimmage in every big game. Yards gained on the ground is a huge part of Mariota’s skill-set. Ohio State has only allowed over 320 yards passing in two of their games. Cincinnati (Gunner Kiel) and Michigan State (Connor Cook) both surpassed that mark in losses to Ohio State. I feel like Mariota will get his 350 total yards, but I don’t see him going over 320 yards in the air.

Prediction: UNDER

 

Ezekiel Elliott (Ohio State) Total Rushing Yards

– Over 130.5 Yards
– Under 130.5 Yards

I thought about this one for awhile. Elliott has been a huge factor in both games Jones quarterbacked for the Buckeyes. He rushed for 220 yards against Wisconsin and 230 yards against Alabama. Also, in the two games OSU allowed over 320 yards passing, Elliott had 182 against Cincinnati and 154 against Michigan State. I feel like he’s going to get over 130.5 pretty easy. An Elliott ‘over’ bet might be a nice hedge of a Mariota ‘under’ passing yards bet.

Prediction: OVER

 

Royce Freeman (Oregon) Total Rushing Yards

– Over 97.5 Yards
– Under 97.5 Yards

As I said before, I believe Oregon will attempt to attack the Buckeyes on the ground. I believed this even before Oregon wide receiver Darren Carrington failed a drug test. Freeman will break the century mark on the ground.

Prediction: OVER

 

Which Team Will Score First?

– Ohio State (+145)
– Oregon (-175)

The vig isn’t worth the bet if you feel like Oregon will score first. An Ohio State bet could be worth it since technically the odds are about 50/50. Oregon is 2nd in the nation in scoring (47.2) and Ohio isn’t far behind in 5th (45.0).

Prediction: OHIO STATE

 

Will Either Team Score in the First 4 1/2 Minutes of the Game?

– Yes (-115)
– No (-115)

This one is difficult. Teams usually come out tight in the national championship game. I do believe this will be a high-scoring game, so an early score is likely.

Prediction: Yes

 

Total Points (Ohio State)

– Over 34.5 Points
– Under 34.5 Points

I’m going over in all point prop bets. I believe this one will be a fun, high-scoring contest.

Prediction: OVER

 

Total Points (Oregon)

– Over 41.5 Points
– Under 41.5 Points

Yep, I’m going over again. This game will be nuts with scoring. Oregon and Ohio State fans are in store for an entertaining game.

Prediction: OVER

 

Will Either Team Score 3 Straight Time w/o Other Team Scoring?

– Yes (-320)
– No (+230)

If you think Oregon will demolish Ohio State, the ‘yes’ bet is the way to go. I do not think that is the case. The ‘no’ bet has a nice vig attached. I’m closing my eyes and gambling (hard) with this pick.

Prediction: NO

 

Longest Made Field Goal

– Over 37.5 Yards
– Under 37.5 Yards

This seems a bit low. I think at least one team hits a 40+ yarder at some point. Vegas might think teams will be more apt to go for it on fourth-down if they are near the 20-yard line.

Prediction: OVER

 

Will There be a Defensive or Special Teams Touchdown?

– Yes (+130)
– No (-165)

If you’re an Oregon fan and believe Ohio State’s third-string quarterback will have issues a ‘yes’ bet is right down your alley. I actually think it’s unlikely that this will happen. Jones has proven he has ice water in his veins.

Prediction: NO

 

Team to have Longest Touchdown

– Ohio State (+145)
– Oregon (-175)

I believe OSU wide receiver Devin Smith will have at least one big gain, but Oregon’s offense is pretty damn explosive. It’s hard to not take them here.

Prediction: OREGON

 

Which Team will Win the Coin Toss?

– Ohio State (-115)
– Oregon (-115)

This is a prop bet I can’t seem to avoid throwing a few bucks on. It’s clearly a 50/50 bet that sportsbooks love. They win money either way with the vig.

Prediction: OHIO STATE

I looked around for game MVP awards, but was unable to find any prop bets for the 2015 College Football National Championship game. I guess it’s not a popular prop bet unlike Super Bowl MVP.

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About the Author…

Bobby Roberts (otherwise known as Sweetbob) is the creator of ‘America’s White Boy’ and contributor at Project Shanks. His writing has been featured on ESPN’s ‘SportsNation’, Sports Illustrated’s Hot Clicks, Guyspeed, and various other sites. You can follow him on Twitter at @Sweetbob.