Last season did not end well for the Ohio State Buckeyes. After going undefeated in the regular season for the second consecutive year, they dropped the Big Ten Championship to Michigan State and followed that up with a loss to Clemson in the Orange Bowl. That said, they still have yet to lose a non-postseason game during Urban Meyer’s tenure as head coach and currently boast the longest regular season winning streak in the nation at 24.
Credit Ohio State for putting together a non-conference schedule devoid of FCS cupcakes. This will most likely become the norm in the future for practically all title-contending schools looking to put together a solid body of work in the eyes of the playoff selection committee. Two of their first four matchups preceding Big Ten play involve immensely talented foes capable of tripping up the Buckeyes and negatively impacting their title hopes.
In this segment, the first six games of 2014 will be analyzed. The final six will be broken down in a subsequent piece to be released soon, so look out for it.
Ohio State Buckeyes Schedule Analysis
August 30 – vs. Navy (Baltimore, MD), 12 pm, CBS Sports Network
The season opener is a de facto road game at the home of the Baltimore Ravens, essentially right down the road from the Naval Academy in Annapolis. Navy’s vaunted triple-option is always a challenge to prepare for given how few teams run it nowadays, but Ohio State’s team speed up front, particularly outside the tackles with players like strongside linebacker Darron Lee, ensures that Keenan Reynolds and company remain in check.
Prediction: Ohio State 45-17
Record: 1-0 (0-0 in Big 10)
September 6 – VIRGINIA TECH, 8 pm, ESPN
The Hokies invade The Horseshoe for the first home opener not to occur in Week 1 for the Buckeyes since 1999. Strength of strength should be the name of the game for this primetime showdown. Perhaps the best passing attack since Braxton Miller has been in Columbus clashes with a stacked secondary that returns three of four from the nation’s eighth best pass defense in 2013.
The big question mark for Virginia Tech is the quarterback position, with Texas Tech transfer Michael Brewer the probable starter. The problem is that Brewer barely played at all for the Red Raiders and assuming he wins the starting job he will enter into the raucous atmosphere of Ohio Stadium with a single start under his belt…against William & Mary. It also should be noted that Ohio State is 10-3 all-time in home night games.
Prediction: Ohio State 31-17
Record: 2-0 (0-0 in Big 10)
September 13 – KENT STATE, 12 pm, ABC, ESPN or ESPN2
In what will be perceived as the least challenging game of the season, the Golden Flashes make the 135-mile bus ride down to Columbus in Week 3. Kent State has boasted a few exciting, NFL-caliber playmakers in recent years including Josh Cribbs and Dri Archer. Unless senior running back Traylon Durham can mimic those players’ exploits against the Buckeyes, it’s going to be an uphill climb against a battle hardened front seven for the Scarlet and Grey.
Prediction: Ohio State 55-13
Record: 3-0 (0-0 in Big 10)
September 27 – CINCINNATI, 6 pm, BTN
After a bye week, the Buckeyes finish out non-conference play with arguably their toughest opponent of the season up to this point. The Bearcats return seven starters from a defensive unit that ranked ninth nationally in total defense (315.6 yards/game), and three from a secondary that finished third in the AAC in pass defense (211.2 yards/game).
Apart from believing in their heart of hearts that they have the talent to escape from Columbus with an upset, there is a bit of historical context that might provide even greater motivation. It has been well documented that the Ohio State football program has not lost to another in-state school since dropping a 7-6 decision to Oberlin College way back in 1921. Cincinnati is as capable a team as there’s been in years to break this 93-year winning streak.
Gunner Kiel is finally eligible to play after a bizarre recruiting saga in 2011-12 that had him linked with Indiana, then LSU, and finally Notre Dame before he decided to transfer to Cincinnati. Much like Virginia Tech, I think experience at the quarterback position will ultimately be the undoing of this team in terms of being able to realize an upset of this magnitude.
Prediction: Ohio State 31-24
Record: 4-0 (0-0 in Big 10)
October 4 – at Maryland, time & channel TBA
Ohio State opens up Big Ten play on the road, traveling to College Park to take on the Terps in their first ever conference home game as a member of the Big Ten. The time has yet to be announced, but I’m expecting a night game when all the particulars get confirmed.
To say that Maryland is stacked from an experience standpoint is a gross understatement. 18 of 22 projected starters are upperclassmen, including 10 of 11 on defense. Much like Miller, Terps quarterback CJ Brown has one more year of eligibility and is looking to go out with a proverbial bang. His two main receiving weapons, junior Stefon Diggs and senior Deon Long, could both wind up on NFL rosters next year.
Maryland is another upset-minded team that would love to knock the Buckeyes out of playoff contention while making history in the process. The offensive line will have their hands full with a talented defensive front that combined for 15 sacks and 41 tackles for loss in 2013. Regardless, big time players step up for hostile environment games such as this and Braxton Miller fits the bill.
Prediction: Ohio State 41-27
Record: 5-0 (1-0 in Big 10)
October 18 – RUTGERS, 3:30 pm, ABC, ESPN or ESPN2
The first half of the 2014 campaign comes to a close as the other conference newcomer, Rutgers, travels to Columbus for their Big Ten road opener. The general consensus is that the Scarlet Knights will be in for a challenging season. They got no breaks from the Big Ten schedule makers, having to take on Penn State, Michigan and Ohio State right out of the gate.
Though the Rutgers program should benefit in the coming years from being affiliated with the Big Ten in terms of widening their recruiting pipeline, they’re not quite there yet. Make no mistake about it; they’re in a much better position than they were before former coach Greg Schiano arrived in the early 2000s. That said, it’s always going to be a significant hurdle when you have to play you’re first ever road game as a member of the Big Ten at a venue that seats over 100,000 and in an environment they’ve never encountered in the AAC.
Prediction: Ohio State 49-17
Record: 6-0 (2-0 in Big 10)
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