Ohio State looks to start another run to the College Football Playoff, starting their season with a visit from Nebraska. The Buckeyes saw their season end one game short of the national championship game, but quarterback Justin Field returns, and he has a deep group at wide receiver to put together a high-octane offense. Wyatt Davis, an All-American guard, had opted out of the season due to COVID-19 concerns but has opted back in. Nebraska went 5-7 in 2019 despite being considered a favorite to win the Big Ten West. Their 2020 schedule is unfriendly, as their cross-division games include Penn State and Ohio State. The Buckeyes have won seven of eight overall against Nebraska, including five in a row. In 2019, Ohio State went to Lincoln and delivered a 48-7 thrashing. How will things turn out this time?
Don’t miss our sports betting preview of this Big Ten opener.
NCAAF: Nebraska at #6 Ohio State Preview
Why should you bet on the Cornhuskers?
Nebraska had made restoring its offense a priority. They saw their offensive output drop about 8 percent in points per game and 10 percent in yards per play. Add in some turnovers, injuries and uneven play in the early going in 2019, and you have a 5-7 record. Head coach Scott Frost brought in Matt Lubick as his new offensive coordinator. Quarterback Adrian Martinez needs to bounce back from a subpar sophomore season. As a freshman, he threw for 2,617 yards and posted a 17:8 TD:INT ratio while running for 629 yards. Last year, he had a 10:9 TD:INT ratio and only managed 1,956 yards. He did struggle with some injury issues. This year, his offensive line returns all five starters.
On defense, Nebraska’s strength is its secondary. In 2019, this unit came in fifth in the Big Ten in terms of pass efficiency defense. The concerns come in the running game, as the Buckeyes were able to move the ball at will in their 2019 meeting. Nebraska ranked #11 in the Big Ten (which has 14 teams) last year, and Ohio State picked up 368 rushing yards against the Cornhuskers a year ago. This year, the defensive front has a bunch of new starters.
Why should you put your money on the Buckeyes?
On offense, Ohio State led the Big Ten and was third in the nation with 46.9 points per game in 2019. They also led the Big Ten in yards per play (6.94) and plays of 30+ yards (42). In their 2019 matchup, Ohio State gained 580 yards and scored on eight of the game’s first nine drives against Nebraska. Justin Fields is an early favorite to win the Heisman Trophy; in 2019, he threw 41 touchdown passes and ran for ten more. He had four total touchdowns and 284 all-purpose yards against Nebraska in 2019.
Ohio State’s defense held opponents to just 13.7 points per game in 2019. They lost a lot of talent to the NFL draft, but they had plenty of depth. The questions come at defensive tackle and in the secondary, but Zach Harrison should key an impressive pass rush. The linebackers are all new starters (and all seniors), but if they can come together in this opener, Nebraska’s offense should struggle to move the ball.
Final Score and Prediction
Both teams bring in a number of new starters on defense, so I predict some issues on both sides with respect to giving up some big plays, at least in the early going. I’m not sure Nebraska has the playmakers on the outside to make Ohio State pay, though, but I do see the Buckeyes using this game to make a statement. I predict a final score of Ohio State 44, Nebraska 10.
NCAAF | Game Details
Ohio Stadium, Columbus, OH
Saturday, October 24, 2020
12:00 pm ET
FOX
Husker IMG Sports Network
The Ohio State Sports Network from Learfield IMG
NCAAF | Game Odds
Ohio State: -26½
Total: 68
NCAAF | Where to Bet
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