Ohio State Football: 3 under-the-radar players who must contribute

The Ohio State football team was able to beat Minnesota mostly on the talent gap, but against Oregon, several Buckeyes need to step up.

Ohio State was able to pull away from Minnesota late in their opening game, largely due to the superior talent of the Buckeyes. Minnesota was able to hang with Ohio State (even leading at the half) but ultimately the Buckeyes were too much. In the second half, the stars were able to take over and be the true difference-makers in the game.

This week Ohio State faces a much stiffer test in Oregon. The Ducks are hoping to repeat as the Pac-12 champions and will be looking to avenge their 2015 National Title loss to the Buckeyes. Even though Ohio State is favored once again, they will need to put together an all-around better performance to get the win.

One of the things that need to happen is for the role players at Ohio State to step up. Yes, C.J. Stroud needs to play well, and yes, Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson need to put together good games. But, who are the lesser-known players that could provide the key between a win and a loss? Here are the top under-the-radar players for Ohio State who need to have a good game.

The first one we have is actually a pair of players who need to be in sync and play the best they possibly can.