On the road again.
Ohio State will travel to Lincoln to face Nebraska on the road this Saturday at noon.
Lucky for Ohio State head coach Ryan Day, the main games to watch this weekend are in the 3:30 p.m. and primetime time slots.
Here are a few games that he could be keeping his eye on, and what specifically the Ohio State coaching staff will be looking for in those games Saturday.
All lines are from BetMGM
No. 3 Michigan State at Purdue: 3:30 p.m., ABC
This matchup does not bode well for the Spartans.
Michigan State's pass defense is absolutely dreadful, allowing an average of 300.5 yards per game — 47.1 more yards than any other team in the Big Ten — with a 62.6 completion percentage and 12 touchdowns allowed. The Spartans made Michigan quarterback Cade McNamara look like an elite quarterback, completing 63.6% of his attempts for 383 yards, two touchdowns and an interception.
Purdue's pass offense is one of the best in the Big Ten. The Boilermakers are one of three teams, along with Ohio State and Maryland, to average more than 300 yards per game. Despite the inconsistencies at the quarterback position between Aidan O'Connell and Jack Plummer, Purdue has still scored 16 of its 22 total touchdowns in the passing game. Those passing numbers are out of necessity though, with by far the worst run game in the Big Ten, as the only team in the conference to average less than 100 yards in the ground game with backs recording 2.5 yards per carry and four touchdowns all season.
What will Day be looking at in this game? It's traditional game planning, basically with both of the Buckeyes' next two opponents facing off.
For Purdue, he'll be looking at what the passing game can do against a secondary with major issues, seeing what those matchups with wide receiver David Bell look like in the passing game, along with what the Boilermakers can do in the middle of the field: Ohio State's weak point in its secondary. Also, Day will get a chance to see how a one-dimensional offense does against a defense that doesn't do well against what Purdue's good at.
For Michigan State, it's more about what Kenneth Walker III can do. Purdue has the second-best pass defense in the conference, limiting opposing quarterbacks to 174 yards per game, a 52.2 completion percentage and five passing touchdowns in 2021. Will Walker respond to a defense where the expectation is for the running game to shine?
My pick: Michigan State -3
No. 2 Alabama vs. LSU: 7 p.m., ESPN
For Day and Ohio State, this one just has to do with the College Football Playoff.
Despite a three-point loss to Texas A&M, Alabama finds itself as the No. 2 team in the country, above undefeated Michigan State, (No. 3) Cincinnati (No. 6), Oklahoma (No. 8) and Wake Forest (No. 9). In the Crimson Tide's two games since its loss, they have dominated, beating Mississippi State and Tennessee by a combined score of 101-33.
This year, quarterback Bryce Young has looked like a Heisman contender throwing multiple touchdown passes in each of his eight games this season and has not thrown an interception since Sept. 25. He's been one of the more accurate quarterbacks in the country, completing 70% of his pass attempts, throwing to receivers like John Meechie III and former Ohio State receiver Jameson Williams.
On defense, Alabama has stopped the run, allowing 63 rushing yards in each of its past two wins, allowing opposing backs to average 3.3 yards per rush.
The question here is simple: will Alabama continue its dominance against LSU with a spread of more than four touchdowns? No game between Alabama and LSU played in Alabama has been decided by more than 28 points since Nov. 9, 1974 when the Crimson Tide beat the Tigers, 30-0 in Birmingham. But in 2020 and 2018, the Tigers lost by an average of 33.5 points, both of which were games in Baton Rouge.
Now what is Day looking for? He's looking to see if Alabama can play and out-perform a 28.5 spread as the No. 2 team in the country. He's looking to see if Alabama is dominant enough to stick in that No. 2 spot, especially with style points on the line seemingly in the CFP.
My pick: LSU +28.5
No. 7 Michigan vs. Indiana: 7:30 p.m., FOX
Michigan needs a pick-me-up and Indiana may be the team to do it.
When the Hoosiers faced Ohio State at home, they allowed 352 yards passing and four passing touchdowns, 187 rushing yards and three touchdowns — with backs averaging nearly six yards per carry. Simply, the defense was close to non-existent.
Defense was a problem for Indiana against Maryland, allowing Taulia Tagovailoa to throw for 419 yards.
But scoring was not the issue for Michigan in its loss to Michigan State. It was stopping the run, allowing Walker to record 197 rushing yards and five touchdowns, averaging 8.6 yards each time he touched the ball, looking like a Heisman candidate. Indiana RB Stephen Carr isn't close to walker, but the USC transfer did show some life against the Terrapins, recording 136 yards and two touchdowns on 21 carries.
What is Day watching in this game? How Michigan bounces back and responds to a one-score loss against the now-Big Ten favorite. This looks like it could be a get-right game for the Wolverines, an opportunity to put on film what an ideal game for both the offense and the defense looks like.
My pick: Michigan -20.5
Other games to watch
Last week against the spread: 1-7 (Really rough week) Overall: 16-16
No. 5 Ohio State at Nebraska: 12 p.m., FOX — Ohio State -15
No. 9 Wake Forest at North Carolina: 12 p.m., ABC — Wake Forest +2.5
No. 16 Ole Miss vs. Liberty: 12 p.m., SEC Network — Liberty +10
No. 6 Cincinnati vs. Tulsa: 3:30 p.m., ESPN2 — Cincinnati -22.5
No. 18 Kentucky vs. Tennessee: 7 p.m., ESPN2 — Kentucky +1
Ohio State will travel to Lincoln to face Nebraska on the road this Saturday at noon.
Lucky for Ohio State head coach Ryan Day, the main games to watch this weekend are in the 3:30 p.m. and primetime time slots.
Here are a few games that he could be keeping his eye on, and what specifically the Ohio State coaching staff will be looking for in those games Saturday.
All lines are from BetMGM
No. 3 Michigan State at Purdue: 3:30 p.m., ABC
This matchup does not bode well for the Spartans.
Michigan State's pass defense is absolutely dreadful, allowing an average of 300.5 yards per game — 47.1 more yards than any other team in the Big Ten — with a 62.6 completion percentage and 12 touchdowns allowed. The Spartans made Michigan quarterback Cade McNamara look like an elite quarterback, completing 63.6% of his attempts for 383 yards, two touchdowns and an interception.
Purdue's pass offense is one of the best in the Big Ten. The Boilermakers are one of three teams, along with Ohio State and Maryland, to average more than 300 yards per game. Despite the inconsistencies at the quarterback position between Aidan O'Connell and Jack Plummer, Purdue has still scored 16 of its 22 total touchdowns in the passing game. Those passing numbers are out of necessity though, with by far the worst run game in the Big Ten, as the only team in the conference to average less than 100 yards in the ground game with backs recording 2.5 yards per carry and four touchdowns all season.
What will Day be looking at in this game? It's traditional game planning, basically with both of the Buckeyes' next two opponents facing off.
For Purdue, he'll be looking at what the passing game can do against a secondary with major issues, seeing what those matchups with wide receiver David Bell look like in the passing game, along with what the Boilermakers can do in the middle of the field: Ohio State's weak point in its secondary. Also, Day will get a chance to see how a one-dimensional offense does against a defense that doesn't do well against what Purdue's good at.
For Michigan State, it's more about what Kenneth Walker III can do. Purdue has the second-best pass defense in the conference, limiting opposing quarterbacks to 174 yards per game, a 52.2 completion percentage and five passing touchdowns in 2021. Will Walker respond to a defense where the expectation is for the running game to shine?
My pick: Michigan State -3
No. 2 Alabama vs. LSU: 7 p.m., ESPN
For Day and Ohio State, this one just has to do with the College Football Playoff.
Despite a three-point loss to Texas A&M, Alabama finds itself as the No. 2 team in the country, above undefeated Michigan State, (No. 3) Cincinnati (No. 6), Oklahoma (No. 8) and Wake Forest (No. 9). In the Crimson Tide's two games since its loss, they have dominated, beating Mississippi State and Tennessee by a combined score of 101-33.
This year, quarterback Bryce Young has looked like a Heisman contender throwing multiple touchdown passes in each of his eight games this season and has not thrown an interception since Sept. 25. He's been one of the more accurate quarterbacks in the country, completing 70% of his pass attempts, throwing to receivers like John Meechie III and former Ohio State receiver Jameson Williams.
On defense, Alabama has stopped the run, allowing 63 rushing yards in each of its past two wins, allowing opposing backs to average 3.3 yards per rush.
The question here is simple: will Alabama continue its dominance against LSU with a spread of more than four touchdowns? No game between Alabama and LSU played in Alabama has been decided by more than 28 points since Nov. 9, 1974 when the Crimson Tide beat the Tigers, 30-0 in Birmingham. But in 2020 and 2018, the Tigers lost by an average of 33.5 points, both of which were games in Baton Rouge.
Now what is Day looking for? He's looking to see if Alabama can play and out-perform a 28.5 spread as the No. 2 team in the country. He's looking to see if Alabama is dominant enough to stick in that No. 2 spot, especially with style points on the line seemingly in the CFP.
My pick: LSU +28.5
No. 7 Michigan vs. Indiana: 7:30 p.m., FOX
Michigan needs a pick-me-up and Indiana may be the team to do it.
When the Hoosiers faced Ohio State at home, they allowed 352 yards passing and four passing touchdowns, 187 rushing yards and three touchdowns — with backs averaging nearly six yards per carry. Simply, the defense was close to non-existent.
Defense was a problem for Indiana against Maryland, allowing Taulia Tagovailoa to throw for 419 yards.
But scoring was not the issue for Michigan in its loss to Michigan State. It was stopping the run, allowing Walker to record 197 rushing yards and five touchdowns, averaging 8.6 yards each time he touched the ball, looking like a Heisman candidate. Indiana RB Stephen Carr isn't close to walker, but the USC transfer did show some life against the Terrapins, recording 136 yards and two touchdowns on 21 carries.
What is Day watching in this game? How Michigan bounces back and responds to a one-score loss against the now-Big Ten favorite. This looks like it could be a get-right game for the Wolverines, an opportunity to put on film what an ideal game for both the offense and the defense looks like.
My pick: Michigan -20.5
Other games to watch
Last week against the spread: 1-7 (Really rough week) Overall: 16-16
No. 5 Ohio State at Nebraska: 12 p.m., FOX — Ohio State -15
No. 9 Wake Forest at North Carolina: 12 p.m., ABC — Wake Forest +2.5
No. 16 Ole Miss vs. Liberty: 12 p.m., SEC Network — Liberty +10
No. 6 Cincinnati vs. Tulsa: 3:30 p.m., ESPN2 — Cincinnati -22.5
No. 18 Kentucky vs. Tennessee: 7 p.m., ESPN2 — Kentucky +1
