Scarlet and Game
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Ohio State Football vs. Wisconsin: Three bold predictions

By Frank Teriaca

COLUMBUS, OHIO - SEPTEMBER 10: Coach Ryan Day of the Ohio State Buckeyes takes the field with the team before playing the Arkansas State Red Wolves at Ohio Stadium on September 10, 2022 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Gaelen Morse/Getty Images)
COLUMBUS, OHIO - SEPTEMBER 10: Coach Ryan Day of the Ohio State Buckeyes takes the field with the team before playing the Arkansas State Red Wolves at Ohio Stadium on September 10, 2022 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Gaelen Morse/Getty Images) /
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The Ohio State football team takes on the Wisconsin Badgers Saturday evening at Ohio Stadium. Here are three predictions for the big game.

The Ohio State Buckeyes are about to face its second toughest test of the season thus far when Paul Chryst and the Wisconsin Badgers come to Columbus on Saturday evening. Another primetime game, something that is becoming way too common lately for Buckeye home games. But nonetheless, The Shoe should be rocking with a blackout for this matchup.

The Scarlet and Gray are favored by 17.5 in this one, but this Badger team shouldn’t be taken lightly. Defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard knows how to get his defense ready for big games. Currently, this Badger defense is only allowing eight points per game thus far this season. Now that number will surely go up after Ryan Day and CJ Stroud are through with them, but the point is that this is a real defense.

On the other side of the ball, Braelon Allen is a dude at running back. Coming into the season as a Heisman favorite, Allen has 332 yards rushing and five scores through three games. Quarterback Graham Mertz is probably the best quarterback this Buckeye defense will see up until the Michigan game. He is completing 71 percent of his passes so far this season.

But as long as Ohio State comes out and doesn’t take this Badger team lightly, they should get out of Saturday night’s contest with a victory. Here are three predictions for the game:

3. The Ohio State football team’s defense will struggle early

The Ohio State football team has an improved defense so far. Mandatory Credit: Barbara Perenic/Columbus DispatchNcaa Football Toledo Rockets At Ohio State Buckeyes
The Ohio State football team has an improved defense so far. Mandatory Credit: Barbara Perenic/Columbus DispatchNcaa Football Toledo Rockets At Ohio State Buckeyes /

This Buckeye defense has not seen an offense yet with the number of playmakers that the Badgers have. Allen is an awesome running back as Paul Cryst will want to get him going early.

Also, this Ohio State secondary has not played particularly well as Mertz actually has the ability to take advantage. Let’s face it, Denzel Burke has not been the same player he was a season ago and on the other side, Cam Brown got torched last week with a long touchdown pass by Toledo.

I expect Mertz and company to make some plays early in this game to get this Buckeye defense off-balanced a bit.

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