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When No. 3 Ohio State performs host to Wisconsin within the Horseshoe on Saturday evening, we are going to get a battle of conventional powers from the Huge Ten East and West divisions within the convention opener for the Buckeyes and the Badgers. In fact, whereas each groups have confirmed to be powers of their respective divisions through the years, the sequence between the 2, like many involving Ohio State, is lopsided. The Buckeyes have received eight straight conferences in opposition to Wisconsin and 11 of the final 12. Wisconsin’s solely win within the sequence since 2005 was a 31-18 win in Madison in the course of the 2010 season.
Wisconsin jumped out to a 21-0 lead that day, with David Gilreath returning the opening kickoff 97 yards for a landing. Nowadays, a 21-0 lead in opposition to Ohio State may not be large enough with the best way the Buckeyes offense can put up factors; Ohio State is averaging 47.7 factors per recreation by their first three video games.
What do it’s good to know forward of Saturday’s prime time showdown in Columbus? Let’s get you caught up and make some picks.
Ohio State vs. Wisconsin: Have to know
Ohio State scored 77 factors final week: The Buckeyes beat Toledo 77-21 final week in an awe-inspiring offensive show. Nevertheless, the 11 touchdowns scored truly marked the fifth time the Buckeyes have hit that mark in a recreation because the 2000 season. The final time was in 2019 in a 76-5 (what a rating) win over Miami (OH). The Buckeyes offense had 763 yards in that recreation, which is the second-highest mark any Ohio State offense has amassed in a single recreation since 2000. The best was 776 yards in a 77-10 win (one other a type of 11 TD video games) in opposition to Bowling Green in 2016. Nevertheless, the most important distinction within the two video games is that Ohio State wanted to run 94 performs in opposition to Bowling Inexperienced (8.3 yards per) however solely 78 performs (9.8 yards per) in opposition to Toledo. The underside line: it was a ridiculous efficiency.
The Buckeyes are nonetheless loaded at receiver: Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave have been two of Ohio State’s prime receivers final yr, however they left to play within the NFL. Jaxon Smith-Njigba was left behind and is taken into account probably the greatest receivers within the nation, however he suffered an harm early in Ohio State’s season-opener in opposition to Notre Dame and has hardly performed since. Regardless of; the Ohio State Extensive Receiver Industrial Advanced motors on with out subject. Marvin Harrison Jr. — you may acknowledge that identify — leads the crew with 342 yards receiving and 5 touchdowns by three video games, and Emeka Egbuka is true behind him with 324 yards and three touchdowns. Jayden Ballard and Xavier Johnson have stepped in to fill the third and fourth receiver roles, whereas tight finish Cade Stover is averaging over 17 yards per catch.
Graham Mertz is off to an encouraging begin: The previous five-star quarterback recruit has not lived as much as the billing since becoming a member of the Badgers, however there are encouraging indicators by Wisconsin’s first three video games of 2022. Mertz enters the week finishing 71% of his passes for a formidable 11.2 yards per try. He is additionally thrown six touchdowns, although I am certain coach Paul Chryst and the Wisconsin teaching employees have harped on him concerning the two interceptions. Nonetheless, for a participant who threw 19 touchdowns to 16 interceptions in his first two seasons, a 3-to-1 ratio is an enchancment. In fact, it should be identified that Wisconsin’s first three video games of the yr have come in opposition to Illinois State, Washington State and New Mexico State. It is no coincidence that Mertz’s worst effort got here in Wisconsin’s 17-14 loss to the Cougars. If the Badgers are going to have a sensible probability of pulling off an upset, they’re going to want Mertz to be the participant he was in Wisconsin’s two wins.
Learn how to watch Ohio State vs. Wisconsin stay
Date: Saturday, September 24 | Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
Location: Ohio Stadium — Columbus, Ohio
TV: ABC | Dwell stream: fuboTV (Strive without cost)
Ohio State vs. Wisconsin prediction, picks
Featured Recreation | Ohio State Buckeyes vs. Wisconsin Badgers
Whereas I’ve manner an excessive amount of respect for Wisconsin defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard to consider Ohio State will do the sorts of issues to it that it is accomplished to its final couple opponents, I haven’t got practically the identical stage of religion within the Wisconsin offense to maintain up on this recreation. Till Mertz proves to me that he may be relied upon in opposition to prime opponents, I will not wager on it being the case. Lay the factors with the Buckeyes. Prediction: Ohio State -18
Which college football picks are you able to make with confidence in Week 4, and which Prime 25 favourite will go down onerous? Visit SportsLine to see which teams will win and cover the spread — all from a confirmed laptop mannequin that has returned greater than $3,300 in revenue over the previous six-plus seasons — and discover out.
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