The Buckeyes put their 17-game winning streak on the line in a conference matchup of ranked teams. Will the Wildcats be the team to end the streak?
When The Buckeyes Have The Ball
Quarterback Braxton Miller will be the starter, having returned last week from a Week 1 injury. Miller is a true dual-threat, and one of the best in the country. Through two games, he’s passed for 406 yards and 6 TDs and rushed for 165 yards on 40 carries. (Granted, one of those games was against Buffalo). Eight other players on the Ohio State roster have at least 100 rushing yards and/or one rushing touchdown this year, but the bell cow has been Jordan Hall, with 427 yards and 8 TDs. The passing game may be even more potent, having totaled 19 TDs already. Devin Smith and Corey Brown lead the team with five apiece, as well as 331 and 254 receiving yards. The depth that Urban Meyer/Jim Tressel have stockpiled in Columbus is ridiculous.
The main goal of Northwestern should be to play good assignment defense. Winning will start there. If you pressure Miller, he may rush his throw… or he may escape the pocket and take off. Rush just three or four and drop more guys into coverage? That’s risky too; you could end up with a running back well into the secondary. Whatever Northwestern comes up with, they need to execute it to perfection. The Buckeyes will feast on missed assignments and blown coverages. And since Ohio State is a threat to score every time they have the ball, the Wildcats will also need to create some turnovers. If they can do those two things, I don’t see why they can’t come away with a W.
When The Wildcats Have The Ball
As they did last year, the Wildcats have played two quarterbacks this season. Kain Colter is a dual-threat and the team’s second-leading rusher, while Trevor Siemian is more of a pocket passer. (Colter has been injured and played sporadically this season, but seems to be healthy now). Treyvon Green is the main threat on the ground, with 404 yards and 5 TDs, and injured RB Venric Mark appears ready to return this week. Mark rushed for 1,366 yards and 12 TDs last season, so he and Green could make for a hell of a two-headed monster in the backfield. The passing game may not be quite as stout as the running game- leading receiver Tony Jones has 326 yards and just 3 TDs- but it’s nothing to sneeze at either. Having Mark back will let the ‘Cats establish a better run game, which will open things up for more passing.
Worth noting in the passing game is that Ohio State lost star safety Christian Bryant to a broken ankle last week. Two of his possible replacements are freshmen, so don’t be surprised to see Siemian throwing in that direction often. The two-quarterback system makes things difficult for a defense as well, particularly since it’s not something they see very often. Again, smart assignment football will be key.
Prediction
As is so often the case in the Big Ten, line play will be a huge part of the outcome of this game. Whose offensive line will let them establish a run game early on? I don’t think an upset is out of the question, but I’m taking Ohio State, 31-27.
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