Ohio State Buckeyes (4-0 SU, 3-1-1 ATS vs. Northwestern Wildcats (4-0 SU, 2-2 ATS)
College Football Week 6
Date/Time: Saturday, October 5, 2013 at 8PM EST
Where: Ryan Field, Evanston, Illinois
TV: ABC
By Loot, NCAA Football Handicapper, Lootmeister.com
Point Spread: OSU -7/NW +7
Over/Under Total: 60.5
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On Saturday, the Ohio State Buckeyes make the trip to Ryan Field to face the Northwestern Wildcats in a pivotal Big Ten battle. Ohio State is ranked 3rd and is on a 17-game winning streak since Urban Meyer took over the coaching duties last season. The 15th-ranked Wildcats, however are not the Northwestern of old. This is a team that is beginning to forge a winning reputation of its own.
Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald has turned this program around and after a 10-win season last year, they are hoping to build on that in 2013. They have two good quarterbacks who both get playing time with Trevor Siemian and Kain Colter. Kolter is more a threat with his feet, while Siemian is more of a prototypical passing QB. They have a good running back in Treyvon Green, who is averaging almost 7 yards a carry with 5 touchdowns. And they have a pair of good receivers in Tony and Christian Jones. In addition, they get playmaker RB Venric Mark back for this game.
This is where Northwestern gets tested. Ohio State passed the acid test last week with a win over Wisconsin. So far, Northwestern has beaten just Cal, Syracuse, Western Michigan, and Maine. This is a different kettle of fish, but Northwestern might just be up for it. They are an improving program and even in their 3 losses last season, they were in those games. They’re a tough out, especially at home. This very well could be Ohio State’s biggest test this season,
Northwestern backers need to be a little worried about the “D” so far this year. They have been giving up some big passing performances, including 445 to Cal’s Jared Goff. Still, despite their holes, it is an opportunistic defense that gets a lot of takeaways. With 4 touchdowns last week and 83 yards on the ground, Braxton Miller showed he is fully back from a knee injury. Returning running back Carlos Hyde had 85 yards and should get even better as the year carries on.
Some nice weapons are developing on both sides of the ball for the Buckeyes, as guys return from injuries or suspension. CB Bradley Roby has been good upon his return and is a constant interception threat. The run game is stocked with Hyde, Jordan Hall (427 yards), and Ezekiel Elliot (9.5 avg.). They have a lot of team speed and are expertly coached by the calm Urban Meyer, who immediately got this team on the winning track upon his arrival, with the Buckeyes yet to lose.
There is that final game before the conference title at Michigan, but this is definitely their toughest game leading up to that. Many thought it would be Wisconsin and while the Badgers gave them a good go, it wasn’t nearly enough. Northwestern is at home and looking for a win that would really mean a ton for the program. Their ascent from Big Ten bottom feeders to ranked team has happened rather quietly and this would serve as the perfect coming-out party for Northwestern.
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But let’s not forget the motivational angles at play for Ohio State. They know they can’t afford any kind of slip-up and need to actually notch some emphatic wins to get any BCS juice, in the event that they again go undefeated. And this is it--the part of their schedule where they are facing the few tests on their docket. Part one was Wisconsin and they prevailed. Now they have to come right back and go to Northwestern after a tough game. It will be almost two months before their next legit test. It’s time to do damage now. This is really big for Ohio state. We’re talking about a team that managed to go unbeaten last season with no bowl hopes. Don’t expect the urgency of the situation to be lost on this team.
Both teams have a lot at stake. If Ohio State comes out soft, they could find themselves in a quick hole. Northwestern is dangerous. And they are really in the spotlight for this game. It’s one of the biggest games on the schedule and stands alone on ABC as the big 8:00 (EST) game. Look for a top effort from both teams. From a match-up point-of-view, Ohio State is a little more tough against the run, which is more of Northwestern’s bread-and-butter. And Ohio State’s running game, which is nearly in full-bloom is a major potential concern for the Wildcats. Still, it appears to be Northwestern’s time, perhaps not to win, but to at least give Ohio State a little sweat.
Loot's Pick to Cover the Point Spread: Take the Northwestern Wildcats plus 7 points.
