In many ways, Ohio State’s 28-3 win over Illinois on Saturday served as the epitome of the third-ranked Buckeyes’ first 10 games of the 2015 season. Sure, there was J.T. Barrett’s 24-yard touchdown pass to Michael Thomas in the first quarter, star defensive end Joey Bosa’s usual dominance and running back Ezekiel Elliott closing out the game late, but by and large, highlights for Ohio State were few and far between on Saturday. The same could be said about the first two months of the Buckeyes’ national championship defense, which has seen Ohio State grind its way to a 10-0 record against a bevy of uninspiring challengers. Starting next week—and continuing through the remainder of the 2015 campaign—however, that sentiment’s about to change. Because while the Buckeyes’ resume may be short on high marks based on a strength of schedule that ranked 56th in the country heading into this weekend, the next two—or potentially, three—weeks are the ones that will ultimately define Ohio State’s season. It starts next week when the Buckeyes will welcome No. 13 Michigan State to Columbus and will continue with a regular season finale on the road at No. 14. Michigan. If Ohio State can emerge victorious against its pair of opponents from the Great Lakes State, it will clinch a third consecutive trip to the Big Ten Championship Game, where the Buckeyes will likely meet currently fifth-ranked Iowa. …
Continue Reading: After Sluggish Beginning, Ohio State’s Real Season Starts Now
