COLUMBUS — Ohio State’s third consecutive prime time game doesn’t carry the cachet of the previous two.
For one, it’s on a Friday night. Secondly, it’s against Northwestern.
There’s still some intrigue, though, especially since the Buckeyes are coming off a bye week. Will the week off stall their momentum and could a repeat of 2017 and 2018’s disasters be on tap?
Three things to watch when Ohio State and Northwestern meet at 8:30 p.m. Friday. Yes, Friday:
1. Off-week blues
It’s doubtful Ohio State will have a hangover or exhibit any signs of rust. Northwestern is the perfect opponent for a tune-up. Sure, the Wildcats have a solid defense, but it’s nothing the Buckeyes can’t handle. They played an average game against Michigan State, a much better unit, and still hung 34 points on them and had the night well in-hand by halftime. Defensively, it doesn’t get much better. Northwestern has been horrible on offense, so expect the Silver Bullets to have yet another lockdown performance.
2. A healthy roster
Ohio State should be at almost full strength. The Buckeyes went into the off week with some sore and injured players — Chase Young, Justin Fields, Damon Arnette, Thayer Munford, and Tyler Friday are just a handful that were feeling the effects of six straight games. One of the dominant messages this week is rest and treatment were a huge benefit, though Munford is listed as a game-time decision, and linebacker Baron Browning is out.
3. One eye on Wisconsin
Ryan Day made it clear Monday his team won’t be looking ahead. But keep in mind these are 18- to 22-year-olds, and sometimes they might not stay focused. It doesn’t mean OSU is going to lose to Northwestern or even that the game will be close, just that there’s a monster game looming and most everything will be done with Wisconsin in mind.
First Published October 17, 2019, 6:42 p.m.
