The Ohio State Buckeyes (4-0, Big Ten 1-0) VS The Nebraska Cornhuskers (3-1, Big Ten 1-0)

This Saturday, in prime time, the Buckeyes will travel to Lincoln to take on the Nebraska Cornhuskers in what could become a high scoring affair.  Both teams are more than capable of lighting up the scoreboard and tomorrow night they will square off under the lights in a conference matchup.  A dominant Ohio State team that has played at home in three out of the four past games and they are playing lights out with few, if any weaknesses.  Nebraska has split home and away games, winning two of the three contests, with the lone loss coming at Colorado in an overtime heartbreaker.

Prime Time:  Day vs Frost

Two up-and-comers in the coaching realm that plunged into a leadership role as their respective teams Head Coach.  Scott Frost is in his second season in Lincoln after rebuilding UCF to a fringe competitor and potential Playoff Darkhorse.  In two seasons he holds a 7-9 record.  In 2018 he finished 4-8 and in 2019 he claims a 3-1 with the lone loss coming on the road against the Colorado Buffaloes in a hard-fought overtime thriller.

On the other side of the field, Ryan Day is the heir to the Ohio State throne and in his first four games, he has his team motivated and they look dangerous early on.  He is 4-0 and he is looking to forward to a big-time night road game against Nebraska.  Up to this point, he has his team looking unbeatable, but this feels like another statement-making type of game in primetime with the nation watching.

This is the first contest between these young coaches but Ohio State holds a 6-1 series lead and they have won four straight against Nebraska.  The lone loss to Nebraska was in 2011 against Taylor Martinez in a 34-27 loss.  This should be an easy game, but with a target on Ohio State’s and in a hostile environment, it might get interesting.

Kentucky Curse 2.0

For whoever follows recruiting closely, there are two types of players have always come back to hurt the Buckeyes in the past two.  Ohio kids that could not get that coveted home team offer and the ones that could not fit into a crowded and talent-laden recruiting class.  Two out of the three bad losses to Big Ten West teams have been painful and the only knock against the Buckeyes that have kept them out of the College Football Playoffs, at least for the last two years against less-than-stellar teams with one of these players.

Against Iowa, it was a night game at Iowa with emotion running high and they handled Ohio State in front of the whole crowd and the nation.  At Purdue, a combination of an Ohio kid who never got that coveted offer and an electric playmaker from Kentucky in Rondale Moore that could not secure a spot in the 2018 class.  Flash forward to the 2019 class, where another kid from Kentucky couldn’t get in the class either and goes to a Big Ten West school and gets to play against the Buckeyes at home.

In last weeks come from behind victory against Illinois, he racked up 186 all-purpose yards and scored three times.  He looks electric and he showed that he can be that Rondale Moore type of gadget player that could explode at any moment to shift the momentum.  The Buckeyes can put this curse to rest by bottling up Robinson and staying disciplined.  They need to come out strong and if needed, weather the storm keep him in check.

Dual-Threat Quarterback With Weapons

Nothing scares Ohio State fans like a quarterback that can do it all.  Whether it is with his arm or his leg, the dual-threat signal-callers have been able to squeak by the defense.  Adrian Martinez was recruited by Day and the Buckeyes but was never offered.  He joins Nebraska in his second year as the starter and he has the weapons to give the new-look defense fits while they are on the field.

Martinez is joined by JD Spielman and a dinged-up Maurice Washington and together they will look to test the improved Buckeye defense.  Shifty playmakers and speedy quarterbacks have always been trouble, but in the game at Illinois, they have an obvious weakness that the Buckeyes defense could exploit, the trenches.  The offense has been explosive, but they have to perfect against the Buckeyes to be competitive.  Martinez never got that offer from the Buckeyes out of high school due to an injury, so could this slight be a chip on his shoulder to will his team into a victory or to be competitive in this contest?

Silver Bullet Trench Warfare

There is no doubt that the 2019 defense has vastly improved and they have been playing lights out.  They are 4th in the nation in 3rd down defense with a stout front led by Chase Young.  They are holding opponents to a measly .231% conversion rate on 3rd downs.  They are 3rd in the nation in redzone defense allowing .545%.  The overall defense has also improved where they are 7th in the nation in rushing defense and 18th in the nation in passing defense.

They have also racked up the sack count and they have 20 total through four games and they are averaging 5 per game.  The younger Rushmen have also contributed and shined during mop-up duty showing their depth.  This Cornhusker O-Line looked average against Illinois so they could expose them early and often.  Ohio State ranks 2nd in the nation in total defense allowing 3.42 yards per play while giving up 222 yards per game.  Special Teams have also been a factor for this team, they are 1st in the nation in blocked kicks and 2nd blocked punts.  The game-changing plays have come from both the defense and the Special Teams units and they will continue to swing the momentum in their favor.

Fields’ Second Road Test

Balance has been at the forefront in this offensive attack and it seems to be working in their favor.  Justin Fields has had one of the most meteoric rises as a starter and he has compiled one heck of a season so far, but he can still improve as the season ages.   He has a combined 19 touchdowns with 13 through the air and 6 with his legs and he has looked good so far with a few things to fix.

He has leaned on his coaches and he has led his team with a killer instinct that could still be improved.  He has a few things to clean up, one would be his ability to read defenses under duress or pressure.  We saw against FAU and Indiana, when he was pressured, he overthrew his intended receivers.  He certainly could have a day, but he cannot forget about his workhorse, JK Dobbins.

Dobbins has had a heck of a season with 68 carries and 477 yards and 5 scores.  He has also chipped in for 5 receptions and 42 yards and another score.  He cannot be underutilized and I think the combination of the two, along with the playmakers at receiver and tight end can give the once feared Blackshirt defense fits and grind them down or wear them out.  The O-Line might get tested, but if they could hold up, the game may get out of hand fast.

PREDICTION

5 Match-Ups To Watch:

  • Fields vs The Secondary
  • Slobs vs The Blackshirts
  • Rushmen vs The Cornhusker O-Line
  • BIA/Linebackers vs Spielman/Robinson/TE’s In The Seams
  • Dobbins/Teague vs Blackshirts

49-17 Ohio State defeats Nebraska.

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