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Ohio State Football: Big Ten Week 9 predictions, battle in Columbus

By Thomas Scurlock

LINCOLN, NE - SEPTEMBER 28: Quarterback Justin Fields #1 of the Ohio State Buckeyes warms up before the game against the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Memorial Stadium on September 28, 2019 in Lincoln, Nebraska. (Photo by Steven Branscombe/Getty Images)
LINCOLN, NE - SEPTEMBER 28: Quarterback Justin Fields #1 of the Ohio State Buckeyes warms up before the game against the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Memorial Stadium on September 28, 2019 in Lincoln, Nebraska. (Photo by Steven Branscombe/Getty Images) /
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EVANSTON, ILLINOIS – OCTOBER 18: J.K. Dobbins #2 of the Ohio State Buckeyes runs with the football in the first quarter against the Northwestern Wildcats at Ryan Field on October 18, 2019 in Evanston, Illinois. (Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images)
EVANSTON, ILLINOIS – OCTOBER 18: J.K. Dobbins #2 of the Ohio State Buckeyes runs with the football in the first quarter against the Northwestern Wildcats at Ryan Field on October 18, 2019 in Evanston, Illinois. (Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images) /

The Ohio State football team will face an opponent Saturday that’s certain to come to Columbus in a bad mood as the Wisconsin Badgers suffered a bad loss last weekend.

Every week this season I will make my predictions for Big Ten games so here we go for Week 9 as I begin with the Ohio State football team’s biggest challenge so far this season.

Ohio State (-14) vs. Wisconsin

Despite Wisconsin’s loss to Illinois last week, this is still a heavyweight bout with incredible stakes.

A win for the Buckeyes gives them a strong measurable for the College Football Playoff Committee and solidifies their claim as the best team in the nation.

A loss puts a major dent in their quest for making it back to the playoff and damages their national reputation.

A win for the Badgers will inject life back into their goal of winning the Big Ten and making it to their first CFP. A loss puts them on the outside in the West and kills any chance at making the playoff.

Normally I do not look to the fans as being a key factor in the game.  This time I do.

Odds favor the defensive game plan is stopping Jonathan Taylor and forcing Jack Coan to beat them. The crowd has to be so loud on every down, not just third-down, that Coan has difficulty executing.

That being said, winning in the trenches is what will really win this game.

If the line protects, the offense will continue to score a lot of points.  If the defensive line gets consistent pressure the Badgers will fail to sustain drives consistently.

In the end, I think this will be a great back-and-forth game.  Ohio State will make a few more big plays in the second half to win 34-23.

Now for a big non-conference game.

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