Buckeyes Will Dominate the Bearcats and Head into Conference Play with Momentum

After an early-season bye, Ohio State is back in action this Saturday taking on in-state rival Cincinnati at 6 p.m. ET in Ohio Stadium. This is the Buckeyes’ last chance to make a good impression in nonconference play.

Ohio State’s season is at a defining point. It has had two weeks to work out the kinks with the offensive line, clean up the sloppiness on special teams and figure out a way to start games with better efficiency. The Buckeyes don’t just need to win this game; they need to dominate the Bearcats to create a buzz around the program again.

A blowout certainly won’t erase the embarrassing loss to Virginia Tech on September 6, but it will show that the team is progressing. With many of the top teams looking mortal last week and the Big Ten finally showing a pulse, the Buckeyes have a good opportunity to get back into the playoff discussion with a decisive performance.

Here are the keys to the win:

Pass Defense

There were signs of improvement by the secondary against Virginia Tech, but several third-down miscues revealed that there is some work left to be done. The good news is sophomores Eli Apple and Vonn Bell both look as good as advertised. They just need more experience, and they will get it from Cincinnati.

While the Hokies were balanced on offense, the Bearcats are a pass-dominant team. They will provide the first real test in determining how good Ohio State’s pass defense is this year.

Cincinnati is led by…

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