Upset season?
The Big Ten has had a very successful season. It currently boasts four teams in the AP’s top five, and the Wildcats get to deal with one of them today. Here’s how our staff thinks Northwestern will fare against No. 2 Ohio State.
Adam Beck: Ohio State 42, Northwestern 10
This one could get ugly quickly. This Ohio State offense is so balanced with Jeremiah Smith and Emeka Egbuka at wide receiver and the two-headed running game of Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson. Northwestern’s defense has held the fort down almost all season, but the dam might break against the Buckeyes. On the other end, Ohio State’s pass rush could overwhelm Northwestern’s offensive line, while Caleb Downs on the back end will quell anything downfield. It might be close for a quarter. Not so much after that.
Brendan Preisman: Ohio State 45, Northwestern 3
Ohio State is 15th in total offense. Northwestern is 53rd in total defense. So this one seems like it could be competitive…until you look at the other side. Ohio State is first in total defense. Northwestern is 131st in total offense. Put more simply, it’s the best defense in the country against the third-worst offense in the country. Since they’re playing at Wrigley Field, the Wildcats will put up a baseball score. The Buckeyes, though, might put up a total that looks more like a basketball score.
Ascher Levin: Ohio State 35, Northwestern 7
NU should hope to keep this game close, but it will likely be a rout for Ohio State. The Buckeyes have been outstanding this season, with their only loss coming on the road to No. 1 Oregon—a game they had a great chance to win. While they had close calls against Nebraska and Penn State, they’ve otherwise been dominant, averaging 38.6 points per game while holding opponents to just 10.7. The ‘Cats might be without Xander Mueller and Bryce Kirtz once again, not things you want against one of the best teams in the country. When NU faced Ohio State two years ago, the Wildcats hung tough in a 21-7 loss, thanks largely to extreme wind and rain. This time, without the benefit of adverse weather to slow down the Buckeyes’ high-powered offense, Northwestern will need more than luck to pull off an upset.
Natalie Wells: Ohio State 45, Northwestern 13
The key matchup to watch during this downtown throwdown will be Ohio State’s running back tandem against NU’s run defense. Like Adam mentioned, Judkins and Henderson are one of the most dangerous duos on the ground in the country. I expect Jeremiah Smith to exploit NU’s secondary to the tune of 100 yards and two touchdowns. The ‘Cats will score six early, but the Buckeyes will shut them out of the end zone for the rest of the day. Just try to focus on the wonderful experience that is Wrigley Field, folks.
Miguel Muñoz: Ohio State 38, Northwestern 3
Ohio State is just too good, and Northwestern has shown far too many flaws this season to have much faith. It’s that simple. Northwestern will likely slow the game down and try to hold the ball for as long as possible, but a strong Buckeye offensive attack is likely to put the ‘Cats behind early. I expect this one to be a two-score game by halftime, after which head coach Ryan Day will turn up the gas and OSU will run away with the game.
Ethan Weinberg: Ohio State 42, Northwestern 7
This is undoubtedly Northwestern’s most challenging game of the season, and an OSU victory shouldn’t be in question. The Buckeyes are the second best team in the country for a reason, with a team that is beyond dominant on both sides of the ball. The ‘Cats likely won’t have any answers for most of the day against Ryan Day’s squad, as Jack Lausch will struggle to get anything done against a stout OSU defense. NU might keep this close in the opening minutes, but expect the Buckeyes to ultimately run away with this one at The Friendly Confines.
Season Standings:
8-1: Adam Beck
7-2: Brendan Preisman, Ascher Levin, Ethan Weinberg
6-2: Natalie Wells
6-3: Charlie Jacobs
5-1: Miguel Muñoz
2-0: Patrick Winograd
2-1: Harris Horowitz, Sai Trivedi, Wyatt Audler
1-0: Weldon Genies, Calvin Kaplan
1-1: Ben Adams
0-1: Dylan Friedland