COLUMBUS, Ohio

Offensive tackle Taylor Decker doesn’t believe that Ohio State is an underdog to Oregon in the national championship game on Monday.

In fact, Decker refuses to recognize that anything so outlandish is even possible.

“I know Vegas or ESPN or whatever has us as a 7- or 9-point underdog or something like that but we are not,” Decker said, clearly agitated. “We are not an underdog. Ohio State is never going to be an underdog, and that is just how it is.”

Oddsmakers in Las Vegas have the Ducksasa61/2-pointfavorite,aspread driven up from an initial straight-up pick by bettors backing Oregon. Many TV pundits also like Oregon to grab the inaugural playoff crown.

Meanwhile, the Buckeyes take it personally, privately and sometimes publicly seething while awaiting a chance to prove people wrong in a third consecutive game — the third of four games this season Ohio State will play as an underdog.

Wisconsin was favored over the Buckeyes in the Big Ten championship game. The Badgers did not cover the 3 1/2-point spread, however, losing 59-0. Then, Alabama was an 8-point favorite pick to win the Sugar Bowl on New Year’s Day against the Buckeyes. Ohio State came out on top 42-35.

It’s been a driving force all season for Ohio State: Somebody puts them down or praises an opponent and next thing you know, the Buckeyes are celebrating when they leave the field.

That was the case in their biggest win of the regular season, when they were 3 1/2-point underdogs traveling to No. 8 Michigan State on Nov. 8, then beat the Spartans by 12 points.

“Everyone chose us to lose. We took that to heart. We went out there and played,” said Ohio State defensive tackle Adolphus Washington. “It was a good thing to carry over throughout the rest of the season.”

The Buckeyes, like Oregon a winner in 13 of 14 starts, have won a nation’s best 12 games in a row since a dismal 35-21 loss to Virginia Tech in its second game.

They’re 9-5 against the spread this year (compared with Oregon at 10-4 against the spread), and face two big elements swaying public perception toward the Ducks in the national championship game, gambling expert R.J. Bell of Pregame.com said.

Oregon is appealing to bettors because it plays fast, scores a lot of points, and just beat a team that hadn’t lost in two years, Bell said. Meanwhile, some bettors perceive the Big Ten as a second-rate conference in college football — teams in the conference were underdogs in all 10 bowl games played so far this year before the title game, Bell said.

Several of the Buckeyes said they welcomed being an underdog. After all, it’s easier to surprise your opponent (and the experts) that way.