When the college football season starts in 10 days, the Ohio State Buckeyes will have to do it without their Heisman hopeful quarterback, Braxton Miller, for the entirety of the season. Reports surfaced on Monday that Miller, two-time reigning Big Ten Player of the Year, injured his right shoulder by dislocating it at practice.
Miller, who threw for 2,094 yards and 24 touchdowns in addition to running for 1,068 yards with 12 more scores, was the perfect fit for Urban Meyer’s spread offense. With Miller out for the season, Meyer will likely turn to freshman J.T. Barrett, who has never played in a college game. Prior to this season, Barrett was a redshirt freshman while recovering from a knee injury sustained in his senior year of high school in 2012 and has never played in a college game.
Just how valuable is Braxton Miller? Once the news broke, Ohio State’s odds of winning the National Championship dropped significantly. Prior to Miller being confirmed out for the season, Ohio State was a 12-to-1 bet to win it all. Now, the Buckeye’s odds have dropped drastically to 27-to-1.
Overall, Ohio State’s expected season win total, odds to win the Big Ten Conference, and likelihood of making the BCS playoffs have plummeted. It’s not surprising, seeing as Miller is one of the most indispensable players in college football.