Ohio State Buckeyes preview

0 Shares Print In his three seasons in Columbus, Urban Meyer has yet to fall to a Big Ten foe in the regular season. The defending national champions welcome back 14 returning starters (and, oh, three Heisman-caliber QBs), so the conference—and the College Football Playoff—looks to be the Buckeyes’ for the taking yet again. Offense How the Buckeyes beat you: So you heard there’s a QB battle? Junior Cardale Jones stretches the field (9.9 ypa in three starts last year); sophomore J.T. Barrett makes the right reads and hits his marks (86.7 QBR, No. 2 in the FBS); and senior Braxton Miller adds a dynamic game (32 career rushing TDs). Truth is, it doesn’t matter who lines up under center, because he won’t alter OSU’s formula: power runs from the spread, unleashing rushers via the inside zone. And those pieces, unlike the QB spot, are firmly set. Junior TB Ezekiel Elliott sneaks through creases at the point of attack en route to big gains—14 rushes gained 20-plus yards in ’14—and the line opening those holes returns four starters. In three postseason games, against Wisconsin, Alabama and Oregon, Elliott averaged 232 ypg and 9.2 ypc. And he gashed Bama, which hadn’t allowed a 100-yard rusher all season, for 230 yards on just 20 carries. So 2015? It’s lather, rinse, run downhill, repeat. How you beat the Buckeyes: The machine is humming, but if there is “concern” on O, it’s identifying a deep threat to replace three-year starter Devin Smith. Junior WR Michael Thomas (14.8 ypc on 54 grabs last year) is a viable candidate, but Smith is not the pass attack’s sole loss. Evan Spencer and Jeff Heuerman depart as well. Defense How the Buckeyes beat you: OSU loses two starters from the D-line (DT Michael Bennett, DE Steve Miller), but DE Joey Bosa ensures that the Buckeyes will again boast a QB-hounding group in the trenches. The junior collected 13½ sacks in 2014, but even when he’s not mauling opposing QBs, his presence on the field creates chances for teammates to log takedowns. …

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