Three keys for the Ohio State football team to beat Nebraska

The Ohio State football team is fresh off their second bye week as well as their first loss of the season. They have a reeling Nebraska team in town. Here's what they need to do to beat them.

By Ryan Stano | Oct 24, 2024

Oct 12, 2024; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes linebacker Cody Simon (0) pressures Oregon Ducks quarterback Dillon Gabriel (8) during the first half of the NCAA football game at Autzen Stadium / Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

2 of 3

2. The Ohio State football team must record at least three sacks

Getting sacks isn't necessarily indicative of playing great defense. You can still get pressure on the quarterback and force bad passes even if you don't sack him. The issue is that Ohio State isn't generating pressure in spots that force those bad passes, and they can't sack the quarterback.

That's a bad combination. It's a combination that allowed Dillon Gabriel to tear up Ohio State's defense in Eugene. The defense ceded 32 points and 496 yards to the Ducks. Getting sacks is a great way to keep that from happening for a second game in a row.

Ohio State needs to get at least three sacks in this game. It's not so much for this game as it is for next week. If Ohio State still can't generate pressure against a hapless Nebraska team, why would they be able to do it next week on the road against a great opponent?

Ohio State needs to show that they are capable of actually getting to the quarterback on Saturday afternoon. Dylan Raiola is also a former Ohio State commit. Those defensive players should have a little more motivation to bring him down for sacks and make him regret his decision.

The final key to Ohio State winning this game has to do with their mentality early in this game.

Home/Ohio State Football