Ohio State was able to sit back this week and get healthy. For a team with so many injuries, that health component is the most important factor for the Buckeyes for the rest of the season. With Julian Sayin likely done for the year, the rest of the team has to be as healthy as possible.
Luke Fahey is likely going to be the starter next week. His first opponent will be USC. The Trojans played in Madison this weekend and lost to Wisconsin in embarrassing fashion. In that game, Wisconsin gave the Ohio State Buckeyes the perfect game plan to beat the Trojans.
What Wisconsin showed that can help Ohio State beat USC
The Badgers dispatched Lincoln Riley and the Trojans 24-7. It was a game that showed how important the defense will be for Ohio State next week. USC rushed for -17 yards in this game, meaning they were stuck being completely one-dimensional for most of the game.
USC also turned the ball over three times. Meanwhile, Wisconsin threw the ball for just 58 yards. That could be something similar to what Fahey does next week, even with Jeremiah Smith on the roster. It won't be the same high-flying offense that it is under Sayin.
However, the run game will be important. USC is one of the worst-tackling teams in the country. Wisconsin ran for 142 yards. That's a formula that Ohio State needs to be able to duplicate in Los Angeles next week. Bo Jackson will be getting the majority of the snaps at running back again.
Above all, Wisconsin showed what those of us around the Big Ten already knew: USC is a bad football team. Ohio State should be able to win this game, even without its starting quarterback. If they want to win a national championship, this is the kind of team they need to beat.
Ohio State is going to lean on its strengths to help out Luke Fahey
What are the strengths of this Buckeye team at this point in the year? Clearly, Smith is a strength. He's the best player in the country. Getting him the ball as much as possible is something they are going to have to do, even in short routes. Letting him get YAC will be a key to victory.
Leaning on the defense is a strength, as well. Ohio State was able to limit Indiana to just 15 points in its last game. The rush defense has been much improved since that awful Illinois game. Leaning into forcing a lower-scoring affair against the Trojans is going to be the best way to get a win.
Ohio State will have had two full weeks to prepare for the Trojans. There is no excuse for the team to not have a game plan that can succeed. The question is whether or not the team will be able to execute the game plan well enough to get a win and keep their CFP hopes alive.
The Buckeyes will be ranked second in the rankings. If they want to show they truly are a top team, they have to win games like this one.
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