Ohio State Football: Emotions will be high in Columbus
It will be the battle for Ohio when Cincinnati and Ohio State face off. It will also be Luke Fickell’s return to The Shoe. Can the Bearcats get it done?
Buckeyes vs, Bearcats, the matchup the state of Ohio has been awaiting for months. Ohio State is back in the top-5 will Playoff and Championship aspirations per usual. And Cincinnati is looking to continue to build their momentum under Coach Luke Fickell who led the program to an 11-win season a year ago.
Last week, Cincinnati soundly defeated Chip Kelly and UCLA 24-14 at home proving they can still play with the Power 5 teams. On the other hand, Ohio State boat-raced FAU in the first quarter before rotating 71 players which led to a final score of 45-21.
Now in week two, the eyes of Ohio are fixed on Columbus. Many storylines surround the game, but none are bigger than the return home of Buckeye legend Luke Fickell.
He was a decorated player and an assistant coach at Ohio State, and to add another layer to his story he filled in as the interim head coach in 2011.
He has spent the last few seasons building a solid program in Cincinnati which has put the Bearcats back on the national radar. Fickell’s defensive coordinator Marcus Freeman is also a former Ohio State linebacker. Together, they have done a phenomenal job on the defensive side of the ball as the Bearcats ranked 11th in the country a year ago.
Anytime you are a part of a program, especially one like Ohio State, and you return to coach on the opposing sideline you can’t help but struggle to keep your emotions in check. A win cements your legacy because the Buckeyes are the standard you’re chasing.
I expect coach Fickell to have his team ready to play with their hair on fire in a slugfest of a physical game from start to finish. There won’t be any quit on either sideline this Saturday as these two in-state foes collide.
However, Ryan Day’s Ohio State Buckeyes will have too much depth, speed and physicality as the game wears on. I anticipate the Bucks taking command midway through the third quarter and tack on another score late.
Justin Fields and JK Dobbins will combine for over 125 yards on the ground in this one. Though that may not seem like very much, I believe Fields will find greater success through the air on Saturday.
The offense will create mismatches in coverage via motions and crossing routes leaving the door wide open for the tight ends to be heavily involved for the second week in a row.
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Defensively, the Silver Bullets will have to slow down the best QB-RB duo in the AAC in Desmond Ridder and Michael Warren. Running inside on the Buckeyes’ defensive line will be opponents’ biggest challenge this season and I don’t foresee the Bearcats cracking that code.
The linebackers and secondary are also far improved from a year ago, so the Buckeyes should be in control on defense for the majority of the contest.
For me, the variable that determines Ohio State’s margin of victory is the ability to be consistent offensively against a stout defense.
dark. Next. CFP predictions: Buckeyes knocking on the door
The Buckeyes will get going, but how soon and how often is the question. I think Ohio State pulls away late and wins 34-17.