Ohio State looks to continue their dominance with a home game against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights this afternoon, after they smashed fellow Big Ten foe Wisconsin last week by a final score of 52-21 to start off conference play the right way.
College football is often an unpredictable and exciting sport. Anyone can be beaten on any given weekend. This includes a chance, however small it is, that Rutgers will pull off the shocking upset of Ohio State in the Horseshoe. Unfortunately for the Scarlet Knights, this is extremely unlikely, as Ohio State is rolling along on both sides of the football, and the bookies in Vegas see the Buckeyes at 39.5-point favorites going into the game today at Ohio Stadium.
The Buckeyes rank in the Top 20 in the country in the three main statistical categories on offense, such as scoring offense (#3 at 48.8 points per game), passing offense (#12 at 339 yards per game) and rushing offense (#18 at 220 yards per game). Quite simply, they're chugging along like a well-oiled machine.
On the defensive side of the ball, the Buckeyes are stout there as well. They finally look like they might be starting to gel as a unit after blowing out Wisconsin. Many thought that the Badgers would pose more of a challenge to Ohio State than any other team they had played up to that point. But the Silver Bullets have returned, and this looks like a unit that could carry the team to big things if they continue to improve over the rest of the season. They're nowhere near their ceiling or full potential yet, but I absolutely do believe that the defense has the capability to carry Ohio State to a National Championship if they do get there.
Unfortunately for this game, Ohio State's two starting cornerbacks, Cam Brown and Denzel Burk are banged up, and may not play. As of this article, their status is questionable. If they end up not being able to go, the team will have to have a "next man up" mentality until the two return, and the pass rush will have to lead the charge against a struggling Rutgers offensive line and Scarlet Knights quarterback Evan Simon.
With all that said, let's get into the Keys to Victory for this one:
Start fast and don't give Rutgers any hope
In many of the greatest college football upsets throughout history, the vast majority of the games saw the underdog rolling with the punches and staying within striking distance before pulling off the shocker. Even though blowout wins by underdogs do occasionally happen, most of the games feature the underdog taking the heavy favorite's best shot, and stealing it at the end. Like a heavy underdog fighter weathering a flurry of punches, finding the opening, and then KO'ing the opponent once they're exposed. The Buckeyes absolutely cannot sleepwalk and allow Rutgers to hang around. I don't think this will happen. This year's crop of Buckeyes seems to be laser-focused on the task at hand. To Ryan Day's crew, the most important game on the schedule seems to be the next one, no matter who it is. That's exactly where a true National Championship contender should be mentally, as the weather gets colder.
Get after Rutgers quarterback Evan Simon with the pass rush
Every time I include this as one of the Keys to Victory, I always crack a smirk, because I know how much Ohio State defensive line coach Larry Johnson absolutely loves to terrorize opposing quarterbacks. His enthusiasm is contagious too! I'd run through a brick wall for that man if I could play! How Penn State let him get away from Happy Valley is beyond me. I'll always think they made a massive mistake in not retaining him.
But he's produced several ferocious defensive lines ever since he arrived in Columbus in 2014, and they'll have to flex their muscle again today in order to compensate for a banged up secondary. But the good news for the Buckeyes is that Rutgers has really struggled to keep quarterback Evan Simon upright. In the first four games, he's been sacked a total of eight times. Iowa really got after him last week in the Hawkeyes' 27-10 win. If the Hawkeyes harassed him consistently, I shudder to think what that Scarlet and Gray-clad defensive front will do to the poor kid if they get rolling! Who knows how many sacks Larry Johnson's Rushmen will be able to pile up today.
Don't get complacent!
This probably is the most important Key to Victory this week. We know Ohio State outmatches and outclasses Rutgers athletically in just about every stat and category you could find. Everyone knows the gulf-sized gap between the Scarlet Knights and Buckeyes when it comes to talent. But as my sister always says, "Hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work hard."
That's definitely the case here, and the only real shot Rutgers has, if we're being honest. But if the Buckeyes take their foot off the gas, look ahead to a road game next week at Michigan State, or play down to their competition, things could get interesting when they have no business being too close for comfort. But the games are not won or lost on paper. They are won and lost in that week's preparation and practice, and on the field on game day. Plain and simple. And something tells me Ryan Day will have his guys ready like he always does.
Prediction: Ohio State 56, Rutgers 14
I see CJ Stroud and the Buckeye offense lighting it up like they always do, and the backups getting some significant playing time. I could also see the defense giving up a couple garbage time touchdowns after this one is well in hand. But with all that said, Ohio State should roll to 5-0 on the season, and 2-0 in the Big Ten, as they hang an L on former Buckeye defensive coordinator Greg Schiano, who is in his second stint with the Scarlet Knights as their head coach.
There won't be a postgame article this week, unfortunately. Yours truly will be in Columbus with friends watching the Buckeyes hopefully rolling to a win in the Horseshoe!
But for those of you who won't be there in person to watch the game today, you can catch all the action on the Big Ten Network. It all goes down at 3:30. GO BUCKS!
Sources: msn.com, Buckeyes Wire at USA Today
Picture Credit: wizofodds.com
Comments