We’re just a couple of days away from a pretty significant intersectional matchup between the Oregon Ducks and Ohio State Buckeyes. Both teams showed some inconsistent play in Week 1, but both came out winners and will now enter Ohio Stadium looking to make a statement nationally.
This year’s Ohio State football team is a very young one still looking to improve week by week and become the championship-caliber team folks have become accustomed to expect on the banks of the Olentangy.
To do it though, certain things will need to have a scarlet and gray hue. As with any matchup, there are things to exploit, others to limit, and some breaks that you just can’t control.
Here are five keys to Ohio State taking down Oregon on Saturday.
NEXT … Stop the downhill running game on defense
Bottle up the running game on defense
Oregon is going to want to establish the downhill running game. The Ducks will try to do it with a duo combo at running back, but also with quarterback Anthony Brown. They had some success last week against Fresno State, but this is a completely different challenge.
If Ohio State can limit the effectiveness of getting chunk plays on the ground, keep the Ducks’ offense behind the chains and make them a one-dimensional passing team, the Buckeyes will handle this one easily.
NEXT … Win the battle in space
Unleash the offensive weapons on the outside
Oregon has some athletes that can hang with the Ohio State skill players, but I don’t know that any team can for a whole game. We saw it last week. Chris Olave, Garrett Wilson, and a running back committee eventually shredded the olden Gophers’ defense with big play after big play.
That’s a template you’ll see often this season, and it’ll be no different on Saturday. Ryan Day knows that he has an arsenal like none other in the country and will get those playmakers out in space. If the offense is successful, there’s no way things are bottled up enough for Oregon to win.
NEXT … Win the battle on the edges of the offensive line
Limit the effectiveness of the Oregon defensive line on the edges
Ohio State has one of the best offensive lines in the country. It is equally adept at pass protection and moving guys off the ball and opening up holes in run blocking. However, Oregon has a secret weapon it would like to unleash.
We don’t know if the best defensive end in the country, Kayvon Thibodeaux will be able to go or not Saturday, but if he does, he can make life scary coming around the edge and getting pressure on a young, freshman quarterback. OSU has to win that battle more often than not to keep the pocket clean and allow Stroud to work without a clock being sped up in his head.
NEXT … Establish the running game
Get the running game on offense
Ohio State isn’t all flash and dash on the outside with its otherworldly receiving corps. I’ve never seen an Ohio State game plan that doesn’t look to establish a physical brand of running. They both play off of each other, and if you can do both, defenses have to remain honest.
With the depth that Ohio State has across the board, if it can continue to lean on the Oregon defense and get yards on the ground, it’s going to allow for more work down the seams and across the middle in the passing game.
NEXT … Win more 50/50 balls in the air on defense
Get more wins with contested balls through the air
We’re still waiting for Ohio State to show that the pass defense is going to be much better this season. After rewatching the game film, things weren’t as bad on the back-end as they felt during the game, but it can still be a lot better.
Oregon may be forced to do the bulk of its work through the air in this one, and if so, the DBs have to be able to stay away from handsy defending, limit penalties, and go up and make plays more often than not on some of those 50/50 balls through the air.
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