Ohio State Football: Don’t be fooled by the Wisconsin Badgers

The Ohio State football team takes on the Wisconsin Badgers Saturday night in Columbus. This is a game that the Buckeyes cannot afford to overlook. 

The Ohio State Buckeyes looked great last Saturday against Toledo. The offense was humming at a historic level and the defense, minus a few hiccups, was stout again. Even though it gave Toledo a pretty vanilla look.

But the Scarlet and Gray open Big Ten play on Saturday evening when the Wisconsin Bagers come to Ohio Stadium for a primetime game under the lights. The Badgers beat the heck out of a really bad New Mexico State team last week 66-7.

This follows a 17-14 week two loss at Washington State. A game in which star running back Braelon Allen was held in check and quarterback Graham Mertz couldn’t get the Badger offense rolling. The game hangs like an albatross around the Badgers neck. But make no mistake, this Wisconsin team is ready to play come Saturday.

Defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard is a really great game planner who has consistently had a top ten defense in his six seasons as coordinator. They are only allowing eight points per game so far this season.

Braelon Allen and this Wisconsin offensive line could be a handful for this Buckeye defense. Ohio State did a great job against a solid offensive line in Notre Dame week one, but the Irish do not have a player at the level of Allen, who is averring 6.6 yards per rush and is coming off a three-touchdown game last weekend.

If Allen can have a big day on the ground against the Buckeyes, and Mertz makes a few timely plays with either his arms or his legs, this game could very well come down to the fourth quarter. Fortunately for Ohio State, they have already proven that they can win a slugfest type game. The Badgers have not.

Even though the Ohio State football team is favored by 18 as of Tuesday morning, the Buckeyes cannot afford to look past this Wisconsin team on its quest for an undefeated season.