The Ohio State Buckeyes may be chasing perfection. CBS Sports' Brad Crawford believes OSU is on the way to a 12-0 season and a Big Ten Championship, predicting the end of the Indiana Hoosiers' perfection in Indianapolis this December.
Crawford felt there was one potential obstacle in the way of a perfect record heading into the College Football Playoff: Justice Haynes running over Broyles Award frontrunner Matt Patricia's defense in Week 14 at the "Big House."
"After traveling to Maryland this weekend, the Hoosiers are back on the road against Penn State, a program Indiana's only beaten twice all-time and never at Beaver Stadium. History won't likely repeat itself given the Nittany Lions' tumultuous season leading to James Franklin's firing, but it'll be an interesting watch nonetheless. Everyone anticipates a potential No. 1 vs. No. 2 matchup between the Hoosiers and Buckeyes at Lucas Oil Stadium for a league crown before the selection committee's final playoff reveal," Crawford wrote.
"The Buckeyes are not going to lose prior to the playoff unless they get tripped up in the Big Ten Championship. Yes, Ohio State has lost four straight to Michigan, and the Wolverines are indeed Ryan Day's kryptonite, but that ends next month as long as Justice Haynes doesn't run wild on college football's best defense. Unlike last year when the Buckeyes had to catch fire in the postseason to win it all, they're going to be the overwhelming frontrunner to be the last team standing this time around."
Patricia gets paid the big bucks to figure out problems like Haynes. In a rivalry game environment in hostile territory, there's definitely room for a big game from Haynes. But the Buckeyes' LB room is a strength, meaning it's Haynes who has the uphill battle more so than the other way around.
Ryan Day is behind the eight-ball in this game. Sherrone Moore has outdueled him twice. But there is no football reason to believe TTUN has a chance. Freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood has been outdueled by the only two quarterbacks close to Julian Sayin's level, the Oklahoma Sooners' John Mateer and USC Trojans' Jayden Maiava, and overwhelmed by a top-five OU defense and a top-60 Southern Cal group. OSU's defense has not given up 20 points yet. There are only a few teams that might be able to.
If it's not the Wolverines, there's not much faith it'll be anyone who can take out Ohio State before, or during, the College Football Playoff.
It's the Buckeyes' season, not Indiana's, and the rest of the sport is just biding its time until the buzzsaw is back on top again.