The Buckeyes and Longhorns are squaring off for the third straight year this Saturday night in Austin, and believe me, the stakes are absolutely wild. Ohio State has won the last two matchups, giving them a 3-2 lead in the all-time series. This isn’t just another game, though. The winner of this prime-time showdown is gonna be in great shape for building their College Football Playoff resume. The loser? They’ll be behind the eight ball, with almost zero room for error for the rest of the season. You know it’s gonna be a whale of an atmosphere in Texas, and it’s gonna be a whale of a game.
Unleash the Smith Grenade Early and Often
Look, Ohio State’s offense has weapons everywhere, but let’s be real: wide receiver Jeremiah Smith is the nuclear option. The last two times these two behemoths went down to the wire, it was because the Longhorn defense managed to contain Smith. Sure, he pulls defenders and opens things up for other guys, but the Buckeyes’ chances of winning any game shoot way up if they can launch that Smith grenade early and often. New offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, with his NFL experience, was brought in exactly for this: to scheme up different ways for Sayin to find Smith, getting him the ball and creating those explosive plays. Against a quality opponent in their own backyard, it’s an absolute must.
Matt Patricia’s Unit Needs Third Down Stops
Ohio State’s defense looked mighty good last week, but let’s be honest, that opponent wasn’t anywhere near what they’re gonna face Saturday night. We still expect Matt Patricia’s unit to be very good this season, but I don’t know that it’s realistic to expect them to just throttle a super talented Texas offense all night. The Longhorns are gonna make plays, they’re gonna score some points, and they’re definitely gonna frustrate the Buckeye defense at times. The key? If Ohio State can consistently get off the field on third down, that limits Texas’s possessions, keeps their crowd from going absolutely bonkers, and stops them from scoring in bunches.
Bo Jackson: The Bell Cow Back Must Get Cooking
Yeah, the Julian Sayin to Jeremiah Smith or even Sayin to McCuin connections are gonna be huge, but Ohio State can’t just throw the ball all over the field. They have to be balanced, they have to get things cooking on the ground. Bo Jackson is their bell cow back, and they absolutely need him over 100 yards. This game is gonna come down to who executes the fundamentals, and a strong run game is fundamental.
This is it. This game means everything for early season College Football Playoff positioning. Get ready for a battle, because in Austin, one team is leaving with a massive resume builder, and the other is going to be scrambling.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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