Ohio State Football: Can any defense slow down Buckeye offense in 2020?

You can count on the Ohio State football team to up plenty of points next season. Can any Big Ten team slow the Buckeyes down?

With the addition of former Oklahoma running back Trey Sermon, the gap between the Ohio State football team and the rest of the conference just got wider. The lone question mark for the Buckeyes’ offense heading into 2020 was running back, especially depth, is no longer a vulnerability.

Sermon brings a nice combination of speed and power, gaining 2036 yards and 22 touchdowns while averaging 6.1 yards-per-carry in three seasons with the Sooners.

I tend to think the weakness was overblown anyway considering Master Teague, Marcus Crowley and Steele Chambers were just waiting for their shot to be the primary guy. While the program celebrates its riches the other teams’ groans just got louder.

Ryan Day just put another dagger into the hearts of the other teams in the Big Ten who desperately clinged to the hope that he would not sustain the program’s success achieved under Urban Meyer.

The question becomes, is there a defense in the conference capable of slowing down the Buckeyes this fall?  Odds look slim.

Since coach Day arrived, Ohio State’s offense averaged 41.1 points-per-game in 2017, 42.4 points-per-game in 2018 and 46.9 points-per-game in 2019.

It is a safe bet that barring injuries the 2020 offense will be the most productive during his tenure.

This will be coach Day’s first season with a returning starter at quarterback, who also happens to be the reigning Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year and Heisman Finalist. He also has an offensive line with three All-Big Ten players returning, a lethal combination at wide receiver with Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson and the best tight end combo in the conference.

Of course the offense has to prove it on the field, but there is little doubt it will be anything short of dominant again.

The only defenses that have a shot at keeping their team in the game are Iowa and Penn State. The Hawkeyes return a good portion of their defense that finished No. 5 in the FBS allowing just 14 points-per-game.

The Nittany Lions have Micah Parsons who is a beast.  Obviously, they have more than him but he’s the star.

Plus, the game is in Happy Valley so it’s a sure bet for a night game and whiteout. Other than Penn State and Iowa I don’t see any team keeping Ohio state from scoring 45 points.