The first week of the 2015 season concludes with an excellent primetime matchup on Labor Day, with consensus No. 1 Ohio State traveling to Blacksburg, Va., to take on Virginia Tech in a tough opener for the defending national champs. The Buckeyes, minus four suspended players, will be looking to avenge their lone loss of 2014, a 35–21 Week 2 defeat in Columbus, while the Hokies hope to upset Ohio State for the second straight year en route to bouncing back after three seasons of mediocrity and offensive struggles. Here are five storylines to watch for Monday night’s game, which sees Ohio State open on the road for the first time since 2005: 1. The winner of a highly intriguing quarterback battle is finally revealed Will it be J.T. Barrett or Cardale Jones? Urban Meyer has said the starter won’t be known until he runs onto the field Monday night, thus concluding one of the more memorable preseason storylines of recent seasons (especially before it was reported that Braxton Miller was moving to receiver). Meyer removed some of the drama when he said last week that both quarterbacks would get snaps this season, but you have to expect there’ll be one primary signal caller. Barrett seems to be considered the favorite, as his well-rounded game makes him more of an asset in Ohio State’s spread attack, but even after the starter is revealed it will be interesting to see how much playing time the backup receives, especially if the first passer struggles against Virginia Tech’s fearsome defense. And if Barrett is indeed the winner, the country will be watching for any signs of rust in what will be his first game back after suffering a broken ankle against Michigan last year. 2. …
Continue Reading: Previewing Ohio State vs. Virginia Tech: Five key storylines to watch
