BIG TEN FOOTBALL IS BACK, LET’S GO!
What a glorious start to the season, not only did Ohio State annihilate Nebraska, but Penn State lost, Michigan State got smacked by Rutgers, and the hype of ‘That Team Up North’ as well as Wisconsin is already sky high, which means they will both be overrated by season’s end!
What a joy it is, seeing mayhem in the Big Ten after only one week of play! Anyway, this article is supposed to be focused on Ohio State smacking Nebraska, so buckle up.
Justin Fields:
20-for-21 for almost 300 yards passing, but another 60-or-70 on the ground for the Heisman hopeful, Fields played as closely to perfection as someone could have asked him to Week 1. Against an “improved” Nebraska team, the offense scored twice in the first quarter, but was shutout in the second quarter. The second half was a completely shellacking of Nebraksa’s defense, though. Fields did not appear to be doing too much, nor too little and the right plays at the right time. Watching him slide on runs is even more crucial, because Ohio State’s title hopes rest on the health of Justin Fields.
Garrett Wilson + Chris Olave:
WOW! Talk about a 1-2 punch at receiver for the Buckeyes! Wilson was a beast all game, and Olave was big early on, too. He did leave the game after a nasty big hit that led to a fumble and ultimately Olave appearing concussed, but everything looked fine on the sidelines afterwards. Some newcomers were impressive in the win, too!
This is promising, young, and talented receiver core led by these two dominant talents. Ohio State will need every bit of Wilson and Olave for far more important games later on in the season.
Defense:
The defense definitely started slow, and they had numerous starters to replace. Guys like Chase Young, Damon Arnette, and Jeff Okudah are NFL players now (all 1st round picks), so filling those voids will be huge this season. With a rather unproven secondary, but experienced linebackers group with somewhat unproven depth on the defensive line, this group will look to knock off rust and establish the depth chart early on. They did force some big Nebraska turnovers as well as crucial stops as the game progressed, so that was a great sign hopefully for the always reloading Buckeyes “Silver Bullets” defense this upcoming, shortened season.
All in all:
It was a great start to a season with National Championship expectations, led by a potential Heisman Trophy winner at Quarterback. The Buckeyes will need to find a better balance offensively with Master Teague III and Trey Sermon at Running Back, because Justin Fields cannot lead the team in rushing yards every week to effectively win games moving forward. Ohio State is still definitively the favorite in the Big Ten, and likely by even larger odds thanks to Indiana knocking off Penn State in overtime. Expect Ohio State to be undefeated heading into the College Football Playoff.
Next Week: at #18 Penn State (7:30 p.m.), Saturday Night
Image: Fox News
