Ohio State vs. Illinois Preview

The 'preseason' of Ohio State's schedule is over and winter is coming fast. Instead of white walkers, the buckeyes are looking toward a November battling the two top 25 ranked Michigan teams. But before that excitement really hits home, the Buckeyes are headed out west for a match up with the Fighting Illini of Illinois. While this isn't the Illinois of old, see Nathan Scheelhaase and Mikel Leshoure, this is still a talented team with a legit QB and multiple WRs. It should be a fun game up in Champagne.

Keys to the Game

Attack, Attack, Attack

This should be Ohio State's goal across the board as a team. In every phase of the game, look for Ohio State to bring the heat against Illinois and test them to see if they can hang. My guess is not. I think this will be especially important for JT Barrett and the offense as a whole. Some of these guys have never started or played in games in Champagne, and while it isnt an intimidating environment it is very different from most anywhere else, Coming back after his suspension, JT will need help from his coordinators to keep his confidence high throughout the game, especially early. Look for 10-12 passes from JT by the early 2nd. I have the feeling hat this could be a career passing day for JT

Prevent the home run

I feel like this one could be said every game but not every opponent Ohio State plays has the capability to hit a home run ball over the top; that's not the case this week. Wes Lunt is more than capable, and most likely will, take shots against the Buckeye secondary which has been pretty darn good this year but is struggling with depth issues. If Damon Webb is on the filed for any extended time look for the Illini passing attack to get vertical against him. This Ohio State defense will be more than happy to give up short ticky tacky routes because no one can score with their offense. But, a home run or two and the Illini could be right in the thick of things

Unleash the Jet Sweep

Hey look at that, an easy plug for the blog. But really though, I think this week could be one where the Buckeyes clearly have an athletic and speed edge over their opponent, Therefore, I expect to see a heavy dose of the jet sweep from Jalin Marshall, Braxton Miller, and Curtis Samuel. This play was Jalin's bread and butter late last season but Ohio State has seemed to phase it out as of late in favor of more direct snaps to Miller. These have been pretty abysmal, stay a few long runs, but if they still want to get Miller the ball on the edge why not break out the jet sweep.

Players of the Game

Joey Bosa

I know....I'm really going out on a limb on this one but I expect a lot from Bosa this afternoon. The rest of the defensive line is good enough to where teams cant simply double Bosa and try to block everyone else one on one. The Illini could be dropping back a lot this afternoon and looking deeper downfield meaning Lunt will need a lot of time. That's where Bosa fits in

Expectation: 5 tackles, 2 sacks, 1 forced fumble

Jalin Marshall

Marshall has been so close on a few punts this season that he is going to break one eventually, today could be that day. Especially with how poor of a job the Illini punting has been this season, only averaging a net of 33 yards. On offense look for Marshall and Miller to be utilized similarly on jet sweeps and deep balls.

Expectation: 7 catches for 120 and 1 TD (including jet sweeps)

Game Prediction

 I'm looking at this game today as a big statement game for the Buckeyes, something they have been missing this season. The conditions in Champagne look favorable which is important considering the awful wind pattern that stadium usually gets. For that reason look for JT to air it out early and often. I expect a first drive touchdown out of Elliot on a short run after a long drive. Look for Lunt to test the Buckeye defense early and have some success, eventually getting the Illini close enough for a field goal. However that may be the extent of points for the Illini for some time. Look for JT to hit a home run to Braxton Miller on a wheel route extending the Buckeye lead to 14-3. Later in the second, Das Boot comes out and knocks down a 45 yarder bring the game to 17-3 at half. In the first drive for the Illini in the second expect a sack on a important third down by Bosa. The subsequent punt will be returned by Marshall 70 yards to push the lead to 24-3. Later in the quarter Elliot and the offensive line will begin to break the Illini defense and either Ellliot or JT will take a read option play 65 yards to the house, 31-3. Finally, in the fourth quarter look for a Wes Lunt pass to finally break the Buckeye defense and give them their first TD. Eventually thought, Bosa will have his strip sack leading to another passing TD for JT.

Final: Ohio State 45 Illinois 10

College Football Playoff Ranking Prediction (11/10)

What a weekend of college football! Fantastic match-ups across the board resulted in some fun contests to watch and a couple of upset sprinkled in. So, after this weekend here are my College Football Playoff predictions for the rankings coming out this week.

Top 4

This week could be a little tricky for the committee considering how Ohio State under performed and the romping that Oklahoma State put on TCU, However, when it shakes out I think the committee was already not high on TCU, they were undefeated and ranked 8th last week, and that will keep Oklahoma State from moving into the top 4. Clemson is the clear #1 team in the country, especially after the ground out win they had over a really good Florida State team. As for the #2 spot, I think Alabama deserve it at this point; holding Fournette to 40 yard and no TDs is about as impressive as anything in college football this season. Finally, I think Notre Dame get the #4 nod due to the all around consistent play they have been putting up all season. They play good defense and have a legit offense that can score in a multitude of ways. 

Hard to Place

There is a lot of room for movement in the #6 to #13 range and it'll be interesting to see how the committee wants to handle all these one loss teams.

I think Baylor still hangs around at #6 with just an 'ok' win at K State but they are definitely trending downward, 

Then there is the curious case of Iowa. I don't expect them to jump over a 1 loss LSU but they are undefeated and, in my mind, should be over Stanford, Florida, and Utah. However, the committee could use their so-so win over a bad Indiana team to basically keep them stagnant somewhere around 9/10. 

We saw last week that the committee was ready to reward an undefeated Memphis team for beating Ole Miss and placed them at #13. Clearly that was premature after Memphis had an awful game against Navy, losing 45-20. Now itll be interesting to see if the committee has any reservation about an undefeated Houston team, I expect to see Houston around the #19 spot; still behind teams like Florida State, Northwestern, and Mississippi. the committee could see this differently and place them as high as #15.

Final Four Prediction

Every week after the slate of games I'll be releasing my prediction on what the final four teams will be. We are still over a month out but the light at the end of the  tunnel is definitely visible.

1) Clemson (13-0) ACC Champ

2) Ohio State (13-0) Big Ten Champ 

3) Alabama (12-1) SEC Champ

4) Stanford (12-1) Pac-12 Champ

First Two Out

5) Oklahoma State (11-1) Loss to Oklahoma 

6) Baylor (11-1) Loss to Oklahoma State

Playoff

(1) Clemson vs. (4) Stanford: Clemson by 7

(2) Ohio State vs. (3) Alabama: Ohio State by 2

Clemson vs. Ohio State: Clemson by 4

Ohio State vs. Minnesota Preview

Finally, the stretch run of Ohio State's schedule is here. However, for most Buckeye fans it's not under the best circumstances. With no JT Barrett this week due to the OVI citation and suspension it'll be Cardale Jones under center today for the Buckeyes and the spotlight is BIG. A bad game here for Ohio State could really affect their standing in the CFP poll and while it doesn't really matter until the end of the year its important that OSU looks good against weaker opponents, especially if they lose a game down the stretch to Michigan State or Michigan. An undefeated Ohio State team has nothing to worry about but a 12-1 Big Ten Champ Ohio State with bad games against teams like Minnesota, Indiana, Maryland, and NIU could be at the mercy of the playoff committee. We saw last year that the committee is going to pick the teams who are the hottest at the end with the most consistent play and if Ohio State plays poorly against Minn. this late in the season, it won't reflect well.

Keys to the Game

Don't make the same game plan mistakes as previously with Cardale

If Ohio State wants to win this game in a big way its going to come down to the play calling by Tim Beck, Ed Warriner, and Urban Meyer. We hav seen these last two weeks that Ohio State's offense is a juggernaut when you add an extra dimension with the running quarterback. But that isn't a play calling or scheme fix, that's a numbers game. We've seen over and over this season, the play callers for Ohio State fail to really adapt the scheme to fit Cardale's needs. We've seen far to many awful negative run plays from the Buckeyes offense when Cardale is in and most of those come out of the ride-read, something that we already knew Cardale doesn't do well but we keep seeing it called. Beck/Warriner/Meyer need keep Minnesota on their toes and make sure play calling isnt predictable. If they make the same mistakes as earlier this year Minnesota's defense is plenty talented enough to shut down the offense. 

Get Cardale started early

Minnesota's game plan is going to be the same as every team that has played him so far this season; sell out on the run and dare Cardale to beat you. Without the added element of quarterback running game, the offense loses a dimension. To compensate, Cardale is going to have to make all the quick and simple throws. And they need to be in rhythm with his wide receivers. The running game may look bad early, but if Jones can move the ball down the field with his arm running lanes will begin to open up. When/If that happens the running game can pound down on the Minnesota defense.

Hit Leidner and continue to hit him

Make no mistake about it Mitch Leidner is not a great true quarterback, but he is a competent college quarterback. His running game really helps Minnesota move the ball and get out of bad spots. The key for the Ohio State defense is going to make Leidner pay for running the ball. If they do so, you'll see Leidner backing away from running the ball on any read option plays making it easier to defend. This game could be a boxing match early with both teams throwing body shots and if the Buckeye defense can land some on Leidner they can shut down the Minnesota offense later in the game. 

Players of the Game

Braxton Miller

I really believe tonight will be coming out party #2 for Braxton Miller this season. I think Minnesota will give up the standard 100 yards to Elliot, and Jones will have an 'ok' game but Miller could be the game breaker. Look for a lot of snaps under center, especially in the red zone, and and a lot of deep routes. Miller could running all over the Minnesota defense 

Expectation: 4 catches for 100 yards, 1 TD               8 rushes for 65 yards, 1 TD

Darron Lee

People have really been wondering where Darron Lee has been this season and I think today is where we see him make plays. With Leidner as a running threat, expect to see Ash try and get some pressure to him with blitzes and stunts with Lee. Maybe we see a defensive touchdown this week. 

Expectation: 5 tackles, 2 for loss, 1 sack, 1 int

Prediction

Minnesota could be emotionally hungover after their close call last week with Michigan and that could really make a case for a dominate win by Ohio State. However, I don't expect that to be the case. This game has all the feeling of the Indiana game last season; a score that looks good in th box but feels bad on the field. Look for the Buckeye offense to struggle early with a few bad looking plays and Elliot getting stopped on a third down. Minnesota wont have much more luck though; maybe a Leidner long run but not much else ball movement. Ohio State will finally break through on an Elliot 10 yard run after a long punt return by Jalin Marshall. Minnesota comes back out and drive down the field for a short field goal. Then Ohio State's offense will begin to get into a groove and Cardale will hit a long ball to Miller to make it 14-3 at half. The second half will see the running game with Miller, Ellliot, and Marshall begin to really move the ball on Minnesota and running TD by Miller brings the game to 21-3. Minnesota though will finally break through and a long pass will set up a Leidner rushing touchdown, 21-10. In the fourth quarter Elliot will break his 100 yard mark and put a 50 yarder into the endzone. A late pick by the Buckeye defense will set up the game ending TD by Elliot. 

Final: OSU 35 Minnesota 13

College Football Playoff Standings 11/3

The Run Down

Rankings Week 1

First Four

I really think the CFP committee hit the nail on the head with these top four. 

Clemson has clearly been playing the most consistently dominate football against a solid, but not great, strength of schedule. The wins over Notre Dame and Georgia Tech are really carrying good weight at this point and a win this weekend against Florida State could solidify that #1 ranking even further. I'm not sure if I see a spot left on Clemson's schedule for them to slip up. 

This weekend's LSU/ Alabama match up has massive implications for both teams chances to get into the playoff. If LSU wins, Alabama is staring down a two loss record with tough games at Miss. State and at Auburn coming up. Alabama really has a lot to lose in this game and they haven't looked very dominant so far. As for LSU, if they lose this game they lose control of their destiny in the SEC east and if Alabama doesn't lose another game they will end up out of the SEC championship. We have seen how important championship game weekend is and not playing in one could leave LSU on the outside looking in.

As for Ohio State, I think the committee placed them right where they deserve to be. This team still is composed of a majority of the players that beat Alabama and Oregon last season so the potential is there however, they haven't looked anywhere near expected. With the JT Barrett suspension coming at a bad time it'll be interesting to see where Ohio State ends up next week if they struggle again this weekend with Cardale under center.

Rest of the Top 10

Two teams that stick out right away in the top ten are TCU and Baylor. The committee has really shown that they aren't roused by 50-60 point games that don't include any defense. TCU has given up 37, 55, and 45 to SMU, Texas Tech, and Kansas State, respectively. That's not a championship defense and Baylor hasn't been much better with 31 to Lamar and 38 to West Virginia. Broken down simply, these teams play each other in the last game of the season and whoever loses that game is out of the playoff, regardless of record.

I think Notre Dame is in a very interesting position. Onto their third quarterback, after the transfer of Golson and loss of Zaire, they are still playing well as a team and showing the ability to win games late; a sign of a strong team. The key to their season will be the last game at Stanford. I don't expect Notre Dame to win that game but it could very well be whats holding them back from making the playoff

For all the talk of the Big Ten's old ways being out of date they still have three teams in the top 10. Iowa could very well, and will most likely will, end the season undefeated and in the top 7/8 with a date against the Big Ten East champ in the Big Ten Championship game. Michigan State has the talent to get into the playoff but so far this season I haven't seen that dominate factor that they showed last year. Every week that win over Oregon looks less impressive and ugly wins over Rutgers/Western Michigan/Air Force don't help.

Florida will almost certainly be in the SEC Championship game, most likely ranked around 7/8, however I don't expect them to win that game regardless of the opponent. That means their out.

Rest of the Top 25

Stanford and Utah at 11 and 12 are both heading toward a collision course. Regardless of Stanford's outcomes against Notre Dame they have a 3 game lead on the rest of their division and should make it into the Pac-10 championship against Utah who also has a solid lead. Stanford probably has the best leverage to get into the playoff if they can beat Notre Dame at home and Utah on a neutral site. 

I'm a bit surprised to see Memphis so high (13) but Paxton Lynch has shown he has all the requisite skills to lead his team to a stellar season. I'm tremendously looking forward to the 11/14 matchup between Memphis and Houston, which could be Memphis's best win on their schedule next to Ole Miss. If they can run the table they will be unbeaten with wins at home against Ole Miss, at Temple, and at Houston. Those are all solid top 25 teams; it might be tough to keep them out of the playoff if this scenario plays out

I expect Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, TCU, and Baylor to canalize each other and most likely end up with an undefeated or one loss TCU coming out of the Big 12 . The same goes for Ole Miss, Mississippi State, and Texas A&M with none of those teams making the SEC championship

Ohio State vs. Rutgers Preview

The story of the Ohio State football program this week was the move to JT Barrett at quarterback and today will be the opportunity for JT to show he;s the man for the future. The Buckeyes will be making their first trip to Piscataway as a Big Ten rival and the Scarlet Knights have the potential to give this Ohio State team some issues. While they don't have the athletic depth the Buckeye have, Rutgers does have arguably the best receiver in the Big Ten in Sr. standout Leonte Carroo. The secondary for Ohio State has played well all year however we have seen in the past that Chris Ash's quarters coverage is susceptible to the big play and you better believe that Carroo cant take advantage of any space he gets. Rutgers (3-3) is coming off a huge come from behind victory against Indiana and the week before took Michigan State deep into the 4th quarter. The Buckeyes will need to be ready for a game to ensure a victory in Piscataway.

Keys to the Game

Stop the Big Play

As mentioned above, Rutgers has the Big Ten's best wide receiver in Levonte Caroo and big play receivers tend to make big plays against Ohio State's defense. If Ohio State wants to make a statement today in Piscataway it will be important to hold off any big plays from Carroo that could cause a momentum change and get the crowd in the game. Plain and simple, if Carroo plays today he is going to get his, at least 100 yards, especially since their is a good chance the knights will be down in the score and throwing a lot. It would behoove Vonn Bell and Tyvis Powell to make sure Carroo isn't getting behind anyone all game. 

Take shots down the field

This is something that the Ohio State offense hasn't done very well all season but in order to play to their potential is going to have to get done. At some point during this game the Rutgers defense is going to bear down on JT and the running game with 8/9 defenders in the box and JT is going to have to show his ability to stretch the field vertically. This was what allowed JT and his offense to be so successful last year, JT and Tom Herman/Urban Meyer were dialed in on when to exploit defense's over-commitment to the run and throw play action. Look for those play action passes when they come.

Let JT come into his own

Today is JT Barrett day for the Scarlet and Gray,. Earlier this year I wrote that this QB battle was really getting to Barrett and it has seemed that these past couple games running the redzone offense has helped him tremendously. It'll be important for Barrett to continue this momentum and start to settle into the offense. When he is playing clear headed and confident he is the best quarterback in the Big Ten.

Players to Watch

JT Barrett

This is JT's opportunity to become 'the guy' for this team. He already is so as a leader but I think this offense needs him more than ever. Look Beck and Urban to let JT settle in early but getting the ride read and QB stretch game moving. Once they get some success running the ball expect Meyer to let JT sling it around the field. It wouldnt surprise me if JT throws the ball 30 times today

Expectation: 19-27 280 yards 4TDs   14 carries, 85 yards 1 TD

Vonn Bell

Bell has had an All Big Ten type of year however he has looked out of position against slot receivers  at times. That'll be important today as Rutgers will look to move Carroo around and try to get him favorable match ups against linebackers and safeties like Bell. Bell will have to make sure he is communicating and on the right page with guys like Darron Lee, especially when passing off receivers over the middle.

Expectation: 2 PBs, 6 Tackles

Prediction

Seven games into this season I still don't think that we know much about the identity of this Ohio State team but today could be the beginning of a roll. With JT taking over the reins expect a heavy dose of JT, Elliot, and Miller early today with a few easy pitch and catch throws from Barrett. The Buckeyes will jump out to an early 14-0 lead after a Barrett pass and Elliot run. As the first half goes on look for the Rutgers run game to hit a few 10 yard runs and Carroo to have 3/4 receptions. Early in the second quarter Carroo will get loose and take one home from 30 yards out bringing the game to 14-7. Ohio State will go back to the run game to quiet the crowd and at the right moment JT will throw a 60 yard bomb to Miller streaking over the middle. Halftime score: 21-7. Expect the Ohio State offense to really open up in the second half with Barrett completing 6 passes on a drive and tossing a TD to Thomas to bring the score to 28-7. Look for a big third down sack/forced fumble by Tyquan Lewis that Ohio State recovers setting up another TD toss by Barrett, again to Thomas. Finally look for the Rutgers offense to move the ball with Carroo and score an early fourth quarter TD, 35-14. Finally, a late drive with Elliot taking a majority of the carries will end with an Elliot TD,

Final: Ohio State 42-14 

Ohio State vs. Penn State Preview

The Dark Night is upon us! After the rumors over these past few years have circled on the black jerseys, tonight we will finally see. Of course, the traditionalists will never be happy to see anything other than the scarlet and gray but the hype is palpable. Especially for the few big time recruits coming into town this evening including Jaylen Kelly-Powell(Cass Tech), Ambry Thomas(Detroit), and Wayne Davis (Virginia). After one heck of a game last year at Penn State, tonight has the feeling of a big opportunity for Ohio State to solidify that #1 ranking.

Keys to the Game

Stick to the run game on offense

Teams have a tendency to abandon the running game when it struggles, especially when those struggles continue into the second quarter but Ohio State has to remain patient and allow its offensive gameplan to take effect. We have seen plenty this year how talented Penn State's defensive line is and also how the Buckeye's offensive line has been slow to get started. This is going to be the biggest facet of the game. While the Buckeyes may struggle to get the run started early, if they move on from it too soon you will see a ton of pressure in Cardale Jones' face, which obviously is to the advantage of Penn State and their Big Ten leading 20 sacks.

Score early and make the crowd a factor

Football is a sport where momentum reins supreme. We saw it last year during Ohio State's championship run and we are starting to see it this season. Coming off a solid win and overall outing against Maryland, the OSU offense needs to keep that continuity flowing and find a way to score early against Penn State. If one thing is clear in this game it is that one on one, Penn State does not have the offensive firepower to stick with the Ohio State offense. Therefore, they will be relying on their defense to make key plays in big situations and their offense to capitalize when they get close. This is where the crowd becomes a huge part. If the Buckeyes can jump out to an early 10/14 point lead they can lean on the crowd energy to keep their defense playing hard and making life hard for Hackenburg and the Nittany Lion offense

Keep Penn State's defense guessing in the red zone

We saw last week that Ohio State's new red zone package was wildly effective with JT Barrett at the helm. However, their play close to the goal line cannot become predictable or we will begin to see negative plays and turnovers. Last week JT ran the outside zone QB run five times in goal line situations, expect Penn State to be ready for those plays. If Ohio State makes the right play action reads off of that same set-up they should see positive results

Players to Watch

Chase Ferris, RT

Ferris has had his ups and downs so far this season especially in pass protection. Last week, against Maryland, he preformed excellently in downhill run blocking something that Ohio State has sorely needed this year. If he can keep that good play going, this offensive line could make a big move tonight against a really solid defense.

Raekwon McMillan

McMillan entered this season with huge expectations to become Ohio State's next #1 linebacker and he hasn't disappointed. Tonight will no doubt be the biggest challenge of his career. McMillan has to ensure he makes the correct play calls and is sure tackling throughout the night. The most important aspect of his play though will be his ability to pick up on play fakes and get into his drop or pressure Hackenburg before he has time to set up a deep throw. 

Prediction

Ohio State has been waiting for this moment all year. A chance to turn around the "not really #1" mantra. A game where the Buckeyes are considered the favorites but some believe Penn State will make this a game. However, under the light at Ohio Stadium I dont expect such a favorable outcome for the Nittany Lions. Look for early running game struggles for Ohio State turning into the same short drives for Penn State. After a few slow drives, Cardale Jones will find Braxton Miller open deep over the middle resulting in a short Buckeye field goal. On the subsequent drive a turnover due to a strip sack of Hackenburg will put the OSU offense onto a short field. From there, JT Barrett will capitalize on his first passing TD since NIU. Add in a Penn State field goal early in the second quarter. Before half the Buckeyes will start a possession on their own 30 and drive down with Elliot runs to the 20 before Jones finishes the drive with a touchdown to Michael Thomas. Expect a halftime score of 17-3 Buckeyes. When the second half begins Penn State will get off to a solid drive down to the Buckeye 25 and will finish the drive with a throwback screen to bring the score back to one TD, 17-10. Late in the third, Elliot will begin to wear down the Penn State defense and take a run in from 30 yards out. Expect more of the same in the fourth with another Elliot TD and a excellent goal line stand from the Buckeye defense. 

Final: Ohio State 34-16

Ohio State vs. Maryland Preview

Fall is upon us! And winter is coming... Enter the 2-3 Maryland Terrapins into Ohio Stadium for the second game of Big Ten play. Ohio State comes into this game undefeated but with its fair share of issues. This is the point in a season where a team like Ohio State wants to begin clicking on all cylinders and today could be that opportunity. Maryland enters this game on a two game losing streak, West Virginia and Michigan, being outscored 73-6. Throughout this season Maryland has struggled to pick a quarterback and their combined efforts have resulting in 15 interceptions. This week presents an important opportunity for Ohio State to begin the train rolling.

Keys to the Game 

Use Elliot early up the middle

If one thing is clear so far this season for Ohio State's offense, it is that Ezekiel Elliot is still just as good as he was during that National Championship run, maybe better. If this Ohio State offense is going to continue to evolve Urban Meyer, Ed Warriner, and Tim Beck need to realize that the offensive identity is changing. With Cardale Jones at the helm this is no longer an "east-west", run you out of the building offense this is a power run, hard play action team. And you want to know how a power /counter offense runs that best? Give the ball to your Heisman hopeful running back. 25 times. At least.

Make plays on the ball defensively

As mentioned above, the Maryland offense has really struggled this year with turning the ball over. Caleb Rowe has thrown 12 interceptions and 3 lost fumbles himself. Clearly this is a trend that doesn't seem to be going away. Ohio State has had their own issues with throwing interceptions but has one of the best turnover defenses in the country with 6 picks and fumble recoveries with 3 return touchdowns. The opportunities will be present today for takeaways and the Ohio State defense needs to capitalize on those. We are looking at you, Tyvis Powell, there isn't room for any more dropped interceptions this season. Those kind of plays are difference makers deeper in the season.

Use Miller vertically not laterally 

People around Ohio State this season have been wondering when is a deep threat going to present itself? With the '12-gauge' arm of Cardale Jones this offense has been waiting for a player to emerge, similar to Devin Smith, but to no avail. Another issue this offense has had is what to do with Braxton Miller. Miller had his coming out party against Virginia Tech with two long touchdowns but his usage has been relatively predictable beyond that. The evolution on this passing game counts on a deep threat and I believe Braxton can fill that role. Devin Smith caught many of his long TDs (see Michigan State last year) in the slot role, running the seam route between the safety and slot corner. Expect to see Miller used in that role. And when in the backfield expect to see Miller next to Cardale and Elliot running counter plays. But not from the wildcat, expect to see him lined up in a running back position allowing him to get up into the hole quickly.

Players to Watch

Braxton Miller 

See above reasons.

Expectation: 3 catches, 95 yards, 1 TD              3 rushes, 38 yards

Vonn Bell

Every week I select a defensive player I want to take Bosa because he will eventually break out but I dont think that day is today. His double and triple teams take its toll but expect him and Washington to consistently put big pressure on Rowe. Due to the pressure and Rowe's previous play I expect balls to be floated into coverage. That's where Vonn Bell comes in.

Expectation: 7 Tackles, 2 Pass Break ups, 2 Interceptions

Prediction

Ohio State enters this game with an excellent opportunity to gets its offense on track, especially with more potent Big Ten teams on the way. This afternoon could be the perfect storm of opportunistic defense and short fields for this offense to make plays on. Expect to see Elliot take the ball down the field early with Cardale completing some intermediate but routine passes and Ohio State to be up 14-0 at the end of the first quarter. The defense will play lock down and eventually take advantage of a poor pass by Rowe in the second quarter for their first of three picks on the afternoon. With a lot of momentum on their side expect to see Cardale finally hit that long ball to Miller, somewhere in the range of 50 yards, for their third TD of the game. Finally Maryland will sneak in a field goal and take a 21-3 deficit into half. Expect two more interceptions from the Ohio State defense in the second half and two more touchdown passes from Cardale. With time running down in the fourth quarter Maryland will eventually put one into the endzone making the score 35-10. Finally, Look for Mike Weber to get his first carries of the season late and actually take off on a 20 yard scamper to complete the rout. 

Final Score: OSU 42 Maryland 10

Ohio State v. Indiana Preview

Welcome to Big Ten play folks, where most offensive plays consist of three yards and a cloud of dust. Hopefully the exception being this high powered Ohio State offense. Last week OSU finished a solid game against a trendy Western Michigan team 38-12, while Indiana posted a seven point win over Wake Forest. Indiana enters this game 4-0, tied for the Big Ten West lead with Penn State, Michigan State, and Ohio State. Their high octane passing and rushing attack will be looking to make an upset today against the favored Buckeyes. Ohio State fans know all to well how weary to be of this Indiana program as they have consistently given Ohio State fits over the past few seasons. However for Indiana, that hasn't resulted in a win against the Buckeyes since 1988.

Keys to the Game

1) Set up the play action and hit big throws 

Over the past four weeks Indiana's defensive backfield has been consistently getting burned over the top. Teams like Wake Forest, Southern Illinois, and Western Kentucky have combined for 6 touchdown throws of over 60 yards and 13 passing TDs overall. Cardale could have a career passing game if he follows his keys well and this Ohio State offensive line protects him well. It also relies heavily on Ezekiel Elliot making life tough for these Indiana linebackers. If he can pound the middle don't be surprised to see Indiana trying to sneak another defender in the box, allowing a receiver to get behind the defense 

2) Cardale and his pocket awareness

Since the beginning of the season people inside and outside the Buckeye program have seemed to be back and forth on this quarterback quandary. However after JT's performances lately the trend has been toward Cardale and Meyer proved that last week with JT only receiving one late drive. Therefore, for this team to become a legitimate title contender we have to see Cardale begin to make progress and evolve as a passer. One of the things I have been noticing over the first few weeks, and something I believe has lead to his int's/poor plays has been his pocket awareness. While the blocking of Chase Ferris specifically has been in question there have been multiple occasions where Cardale has put himself in bad positions by leaving a clean pocket too soon or failing to step up past edge rushers. All of the best QBs, see Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers, have this innate ability to sense a rush and move the pocket to keep a throwing window open. Cardale doesn't have to be 'Tom Brady' good but this ability could result in a lot  more big plays and a lot less dead plays.

3) Defensively, make a decision on Darron Lee's position

As a few of you may have noticed, and Urban Meyer certainly did, Ohio State's linebackers did not play particularly well this past week. However, after rewatching the game film against Western Michigan I believe this has much more to do with scheme and much less to do with the talent at linebacker. Against three and more wide receiver fronts Chris Ash chose to move Darron Lee out on the edge to face up with the slot wide receiver. This put the Buckeye defense at a numbers disadvantage as they only kept two LBs and four lineman close to the line against the five down lineman and one tight end for Western Michigan. This alignment made it so McMillan and Perry could never be right in their run fit because the outside hole, responsible for by Lee, was usually quite vacated. As the game progressed the Chris Ash chose to move a safety down to split the coverage with Lee so he could play a bit closer to the line. Look for that to be the alignment they have going forward.

Players to Watch

Sam Hubbard

Over these past few weeks Sam Hubbard has been closer and closer to having a breakout game and I think this is the one where it happens. With Joey Bosa getting consistent double and even triple teams someone on the edge besides Darron Lee is going to be getting a single block. hubbard has shown he has the strength and speed to get by offensive tackles but also has seemed to play a bit tentative. Watch for him on clear passing downs to pin his ears back and get after the QB.

Expectation: 1 sack, 4 tackles, I forced fumble

Curtis Samuel

While people have been talking about Braxton Miller finally being the 'Percy Harvin' player that Meyer has been missing all these years, I think the real 'Harvin' has been here all along. Samuel showed last year as a true freshman that he coudl be trusted to carry the ball out fo the backfield as well as run routes and this season he has only gotten better. He has been a big play machine(see Virginia Tech and Western Michigan)  but somehow has gone under the radar. This is the game I think he has his Ohio State coming out party. Expect to see him catch passes and take carrries lined up as a slot wide receiver and in the backfield. 

Expectation: 6 catches for 80 yards, 1 TD (including jet sweeps) and a rushing TD

Prediction

Ohio State enters Indiana with four non-conference wins and hungry to prove themselves as the real deal. I think the early season struggles were good for a team that may have needed to bring themselves back down to reality. But they enter this contest against a hungry Indiana team. Nate Sudfield and company are hitting on all cylinders and expecting to bring the fight tot he Buckeyes. Expect this one to be close early on with the Buckeye offense scoring on their first two possessions and the Indiana offense on one. Look for Elliot and company to get rolling, setting up Cardale with a long pass TD before halftime, Score at half: 24-13 Buckeyes. Expect more of the same for the second half with Ohio State taking a 34-20 lead into the fourth quarter after Sudfield makes a mistake and throws a pick to Apple. Finally, look for Curtis Samuel to take a jet sweep the distance early in the fourth and push the Buckeyes onward to victory.

Ohio State 44 Indiana 20 

Quick Hits after OSU WM

Ohio State 38 Western Michigan 12

What we learned:

- Ohio State's offense came out playing much better this week than the rest of this season. The offensive line seems to finally be finding some consistency especially on outside zone plays when Boren and Elflein/Price pull around the edge. However something to watch going forward is going to be how Chase Ferris, at right tackle, fairs in pass coverage against Big Ten opponents. He has been exposed at times this season when rushers take inside angles, suggesting he is reaching out too much in his pass set. 

- As for the quarterback situation I think Cardale had a solid enough game to calm down the OSU fan base but not good enough to really make this offense look deadly. On too many occasions Cardale saw receivers late and under threw balls or made ill advised decisions. If he can eliminate plays like the backward pass/fumble and grounding penalties, I think we know he ceiling is pretty high. Given the next few games starting against mediocre Big Ten opponents, I expect to see Cardale develop more confidence and start to hit those deep throws on time. Game reps with receivers is critical for a quarterback to develop confidence and timing. We will have to keep a close eye on this situation going forward and see if Cardale continues to develop. If we see the same issues going forward it could be problematic

- Is it just me or does it seem like JT Barrett has really regressed? It hard to imagine after the type of season that he had but this quarterback competition has clearly taken its toll. In most of the reps we have seen from him so far he has struggled. He's been high with throws and looks really mechanical with his reads. Starring down receivers has caused him to throw a few really bad interceptions. He clearly is struggling and whether its mentally or an issue with new coach Tim Beck its something he has to get figured out.

- This defense has the potential to be one of the best in the country however I think they were exposed a bit today. Western Michigan ran pretty standard power and trap style plays that ripped off big runs up the middle over and over. It seemed like Tommy Shutt and Sam Hubbard had some problems getting underneath that pulling tight end or tackle. Western Michigan did a good job using 3/4 wide receivers given the fact that Chris Ash choose to stay with three linebackers instead of going to nickel packages  It will be interesting to see if Ash chooses to move more often to the nickel to let his interior linebackers focus on those power and trap runs.

- Its going to be interesting to see going forward how the play calling evolves. At the end of the day talent only gets you so far and we saw that against Alabama when some high risk, high reward play calling paid off big time. I love the move of Tim Beck into the press box, I think that will give this offense and more importantly Cardale some better perspective into the coverage they are seeing. As for Warinner, I think he needs to spend more time specifically with the offensive line. Until they really start to click it'll be important for him to be right there with them coming off the field. 

Ohio State v. Western Michigan Preview

While Urban Meyer says " the best thing about being 3-0 is the opportunity to go 4-0," the best opportunity available today is one for the Ohio State Buckeyes to get their season rolling. While question looms and doubters have begun to put the pressure on this Ohio State program, this team has a chance to change all that today. A great game offensively from this veteran line and National Championship winning quarterback could flip the script on the buckeye season but it seems like this has been the narrative for the last two games; will it happen today? Below are my keys to the game, players to watch, and predictions:

Keys to the Game

1) Run the ball up the middle with Ezekiel Elliot early and often

We saw at the beginning of this season against Virginia Tech that this Buckeye offense opens up when Ezekiel Elliot can get moving downhill. One of the best examples of that was the 83 yard run ripped off by Elliot to begin the game, it set the tone for the rest of that game. To get this offense rolling and rolling fast a key is going to be Elliot up the middle one zone carries behind Boren, Eflein, and Price.

2) Consistent blocking on the outside

While many people will want to point finger at Cardale Jones and JT Barrett for this offense's struggles, the perimeter blocking has left much to ask for. This team has been feeling the effects of missing Evan Spencer and Devin Smith. Michael Thomas is a large physical player and has done well this season catching as well as blocking but the same cannot be said for his Zone 6 teammates. Jalin Marshall, Dontre Wilson, Johnnie Dixon, and Parris Campbell have seemed lost at times blocking on outside zone runs especially in the slot. This is important because when running the outside zone read Elliot is looking to read the last man on the line and if that defender has been reached. If that is the came Elliot looks to carry the run outside to the edge, however on many occasions this season that area will close fast due to a missed or poor block in the slot LB/DB. 

3) Defensively, play with discipline

This defense has been Grade A all season, no queston about that, but they showed in the Virginia Tech game that they may still be open to giving up the big play. In fact the defensive coverage scheme employed by Chris Ash, the cover 4 man press, is known for its big play susceptibility. Western Michigan comes in with a solid offense and two NFL caliber wider receivers that dropped a 24 spot on Michigan State. Therefore, to ensure a successful afternoon this Ohio State defense has to play disciplined in coverage, especially Vonn Bell and Tyvis Powell, and ensure no one gets behind the last man. A combination of a great pass rush and solid corners is always a winning group and to do so they must ensure they operate expecting the unexpected.

Players to Watch

Jalin Marshall

Expect Marshall to play a big roll in the passing game today running crossing routes in an attempt to draw Western Michigan's corners and safeties up. This could potentially open up the deep part of the field that we havent seen the OSU offense exploit yet. Also keep an eye on Marshall's pass blocking on the edge and in the slot. He has been hit or miss this season and making those blocka, while not flashy, are the key to this running game.

Tyquan Lewis

Lewis had a coming out party last week, with multiple tackles for loss, and I expect that to continue. Look for him to get a lot of 1 on 1 blocking in passing situations due to Joey Bosa's presence on the other side.

Prediction

Look for Ohio State's offense to run the ball early and often to force Western Michigan out of any exotic lineups or blitz packages. Then we should see some passing lanes open up for Cardale and Meyer may look to give him some easy reads, roll outs and play actions, to gain early confidence. I expect Ohio State to jump up to an early 14-0 lead by the end of the 1st. Defensively expect a lot of passing form Western Michigan and potentially 2/3 sacks from the OSU defensive line. However, I wouldnt be surprised if Western Michigan sneaks in a deep ball and capitalizes to bring the game close at half 21-7. The second half should be more of the first with Elliot getting solid carries and Miller making a nice play on a counter for a 40+ yd run. The defense will have a pick or two in the second half and this game will finish with a landslide Ohio State win. 

OSU 49 WM 17