The Ohio State football team had the toughest possible first game of the season. They had to welcome the number-one team in the country to the Shoe, which is not an easy task. Texas ended up walking out of the Shoe with a loss, winning the game 14-7.
It was a much lower-scoring game than the Ohio State Buckeyes were hoping for. They would have loved it if they could have opened up the offense a little more so that Julian Sayin could get into the rhythm of the offense as a first-time starter. This week's opponent will allow him to do that.
Sayin will get to take on Grambling State, which is best known for its band. From a football team standpoint, the Buckeyes should have no issue winning this game. In fact, they are perfect to play a week after Texas because this game will allow Sayin to sling it around at will.
The Ohio State football team will allow Julian Sayin to sling the ball around against Grambling State
Without the pressures of a top-ranked team coming into the Shoe this weekend, they can allow Sayin to throw the ball to Jeremiah Smith more often. He was getting double and triple-teamed while he was playing against the Longhorns, just as he was in the Cotton Bowl.
Getting Sayin comfortable as quickly as possible is something that is high on the priority list for the Buckeyes. He needs to be able to chuck the ball all over the field if Ohio State wants to have a shot at winning a second-straight national championship, which is their stated goal.
The Tigers won't offer much resistance on that front, so Sayin might be able to have 300+ yards in three quarters of football, which is likely all he will play before being rested. There is no need for him to play the entire game, as the risk of him getting hurt is too high.
Ohio State's defense should play with the same vigor as it did against Texas, so it wouldn't be surprising to see that unit pitch a shutout against Grambling State. In fact, it would be quite surprising if the starters allowed the Tigers to score more than 14 points.
This is a game that should feature plenty of backups. That should mean that it will be a stress-free victory for the Buckeyes, something they need after the opener.