Ohio State Football: Buckeyes’ defense key to beating TTUN

It’s good to have another iteration of The Game. After TTUN canceled on the Ohio State Football team last year, The Game returns in 2021. It will be a game with a lot at stake for both teams. The winner of the game will win the Big Ten East and go to the Big Ten Championship Game and likely make the CFP.

Ohio State’s offense is easily good enough to win this game. No one has been able to stop their offense since the Oregon game. They have the number one offense in total yards and scoring. C.J. Stroud is the frontrunner for the Heisman Trophy. The Buckeyes are fine on that side of the ball.

The defense will determine whether or not the Buckeyes win this game. They were fantastic against Michigan State last weekend, with the starters holding the Spartans scoreless. They’ll need a similar performance against TTUN, who has a more explosive offense.

Ohio State’s defense should have some extra motivation in this one too. Ryan Day has to expect his unit to come out ready to go. The key, just as it was last week, is to stop the run. If they can make TTUN one-dimensional, the defensive line can tee off on Cade McNamara and make his life very difficult in the pocket.

They need to force TTUN to throw on the outside as well. That’s where the strength of the secondary lies. Denzel Burke is a stud and locks down whatever receiver he’s covering. Cameron Brown has been good too. It’s the middle of the defense that is vulnerable.

Keeping pass plays on the outside is the best thing this Ohio State team can do to keep TTUN from gaining big chunks of yards. Having an offense as good as they do takes some pressure off the defense too. They just need to make a few stops in order to win this game.

This will easily be the best game of the weekend. We’ll see who comes out the most prepared.