It may have taken eight weeks, but No. 1 Ohio State is finally starting to look like the dominant team and College Football Playoff favorite that everyone expected to see during the preseason.
The Buckeyes, fresh off a 49-7 rout of Rutgers on Saturday, enter their bye week with few questions to answer.
Head coach Urban Meyer has featured J.T. Barrett in the offense over the last three weeks, and the results have been convincing. The redshirt sophomore scored 12 total touchdowns against Maryland, Penn State and Rutgers—games that Ohio State won by an average of 30.3 points.
With the Buckeyes clicking at their highest level of the season, what do they still need to fix as they approach the home stretch of the conference slate?
The Run Defense
Ohio State has been solid defensively this season, ranking 13th nationally in total defense and ninth in scoring defense. But the Buckeyes have been ordinary against the run, allowing 151.9 yards per game on the ground—a mark that ranks 54th in the country.
Leading up the Rutgers game on Saturday, Ohio State’s front seven was coming off a pair of horrendous outings.
Two weeks prior, Maryland quarterback Perry Hills gashed the Buckeyes, running for an incredible 170 yards and two touchdowns, fueling a 253-yard outing on the ground for the Terrapins. A week later, Penn State freshman running back Saquon Barkley ran wild for 194 yards on 26 carries.
The Buckeyes only have one team left on its…
Continue Reading: Ohio State Football: What Buckeyes Must Fix During Bye Week
