As much as some people may not want to believe it, Ohio State (probably) and Wisconsin (definitely) are likely taking part in a play-in game for the College Football Playoffs tomorrow.
But the Big Ten Championship Game is about more than just making the playoffs. It’s also about — get this — winning a Big Ten Championship.
Crazy, I know.
So how do we here at The-Ozone see a matchup between Ohio State and Iowa On Steroids going?
I’m interested to find out myself.
Kyle Morgan
This game has a lot of parallels to last week’s matchup. Like Michigan, Wisconsin relies on great rushing defense, a passing game that leans heavily on tight ends and marginal quarterback play. Alex Hornibrook is described as an efficient, game manager-type quarterback but has also thrown 13 interceptions on the season. Michigan’s quarterbacks only threw eight interceptions collectively for comparison. Look for Wisconsin to control the clock by running the ball with Jonathan Taylor and attempting to limit the Ohio State offense by keeping them off the field. While Taylor is a threat, he is also susceptible to fumbling the ball, as he has lost four fumbles on the season thus far. There will be turnovers in this game, but the team that can convert them to points will be victorious.
The key for the Buckeyes lies in their ability to convert on third downs and to wear down the defensive front of the Badgers over the course of the game. This will be a slugfest, and the team that runs the ball the best will ultimately win this game. This game screams Malik Harrison and Tuf Borland to stop the run, but in the end, it will be an interception by Damon Webb to put the Buckeyes in a position to secure the victory.
Ohio State 24, Wisconsin 20
Caroline Rice
I think this game could really go either way. Part of me wants to believe that the Buckeyes can come out and completely dominate this game again, but then I remind myself that there will never be another game like the 2014 Big Ten Championship game. This game presents the perfect scenario for Wisconsin to get revenge on the Buckeyes. The Badgers are out to keep their undefeated record and it is a season-defining game for the college football playoff hopes for both the Buckeyes and the Badgers. Wisconsin is a talented and powerful team. The Buckeyes haven’t faced a team like this complete and successful on both sides of the ball. This Badger defense will really be a test for the Buckeyes, but I have a feeling Ohio State will be able to pull off a win.
Ohio State 24, Wisconsin 17
Shannon Sommers
This isn’t the 2014 59-0 Badgers, although there are so many similar similarities. Top running back, number one ranked defense, the J.T. Barrett situation, and much more. Badgers haven’t faced this strong of an offense, but honestly we don’t know how strong this offense is since they lack consistency.
Coming back from 10 down in Camp Randall last season is a key knowing they definitely can beat this Wisconsin team. Should be a great game and I am going with Buckeyes winning in a defensive matchup for the ages.
Ohio State 17, Wisconsin 14
Tony Gerdeman
I’ve gone back and forth on what my pick was going to be for this game. Initially, I was siding with Ohio State because of Wisconsin’s lack of explosion on offense. Then I saw Michigan run the ball on the Buckeye defense and move it pretty well at times. That put me back on the side of the Badgers.
Wisconsin has a much better running game than Michigan, and a much more consistent quarterback. Their defense also gets better in the second half, which is the complete opposite of what has happened with the Wolverine defense the last two weeks. Can the Buckeye offense wear out a Badger defense that hasn’t really been tested this year?
It’s that lack of being tested, however, that has me now back on the side of the Buckeyes. Wisconsin’s offense does things that gives Ohio State trouble, and OSU’s offense is a question mark right now with J.T. Barrett coming off of surgery. But the Badgers have played absolutely nobody this year, and they haven’t always looked great doing it. Ohio State will be by far the best team Wisconsin has seen to this point, and I expect the Buckeyes to display that superiority eventually.
Ohio State 27, Wisconsin 23
Chip Minnich
My concerns coming into this game are primarily when Wisconsin is on offense and Ohio State is on defense. Everyone knows Wisconsin is going to try to run the ball with Jonathan Taylor. Knowing it, and being able to effectively stop it, are not always the same thing. As I wrote in “Opponent Watch”, Ohio State needs to win the first down battle against Wisconsin or it may be a difficult night. Just like everyone else, I am wondering how Ohio State is going to effectively cover Wisconsin TE Troy Fumagalli. Will this be Denzel Ward’s assignment, as Ohio State’s linebackers may not be up to the challenge?
Legendary coach Vince Lombardi once stated that football is not a contact sport — it is a collision sport. Saturday night in Indianapolis will feature that, on both sides’ respective lines. Wisconsin is going to push Ohio State to the brink physically, and this one will come down to who has the ball last. It will be close, it will be nerve-wracking, and I see Ohio State pulling out a very close one.
Ohio State 27, Wisconsin 24
Mike Meihls
The 2017 Buckeyes have been the best team on the field every time they’ve played this season, but they have also been Jekyll and Hyde, and no one knows which team is coming out of the locker room.
On paper, OSU is light years ahead of Wisconsin. On the field, they sometimes look like they’re still in the locker room. Ohio State’s rushing attack even without JTB can beat Wisconsin’s defense. The question is “Can Ohio State’s linebackers stop Wisconsin’s all-world freshman running back?” I’ve never wanted to be more wrong but I don’t think they can.
Still, I’m taking Ohio State to make the College Football Playoffs
Ohio State 31, Wisconsin 21
Brandon Zimmerman
Who will start at QB for the Buckeyes? Will it be an injured JTB getting the opportunity to start his first and last B1G championship game? Or will it be Buckeye Nation’s future QB that people will call for his benching at some point over the next three years? Personally, I hope it is Barrett. Give him a series or two and then reevaluate how the knee is holding up. We don’t see very much blitzing from the Badgers defense but I think they will ramp it up if JTB starts. Forcing a sometimes inaccurate QB to move around and throw on his knee which just had a knife in it seems like an ideal plan.
Defensively, I think we will see a lot of Denzel Ward on Troy Fumagalli just like we did against Michigan State and their TE. If Quintez Cephus or Jazz Peavy were playing, it would be a much more difficult match-up. The incredibly deep DL rotation will come in handy to stop the Badger run game from wearing them down. While still not listed on the depth chart, I think we see a lot more of Michael Hill and his 300+ pound frame on Saturday than we’ve seen all year.
At the end of the day, Wisconsin has not played an offense this good and a defensive line this deep. It will show on Saturday night.
Ohio State 37, Wisconsin 13
Tom Orr
The last time Ohio State played Wisconsin in the Big Ten Championship game, I said the only thing that would shock me was a blowout win for the Buckeyes. That matchup ended up as a 59-0 OSU win, as you may recall. This Saturday probably won’t end at 59-0. Beyond that, I’m really not sure. Ohio State has personnel advantages in a lot of places, but Wisconsin presents some serious matchup issues for the Buckeyes.
This is not a good weekend for OSU linebackers to be playing undisciplined football. RB Jonathan Taylor is a home run hitter, and TE Troy Fumagalli is the kind of receiving threat that could keep the chains moving. Keep an eye on WR Danny Davis as well, a freshman from Springfield, Ohio who didn’t get an OSU offer and who seems destined to come back to haunt the Buckeyes at some point. Unlike a week ago, OSU can’t rely on the opposing QB to air-mail wide open receivers.
Oh, and J.T. Barrett had surgery on his knee this week. Urban Meyer said Barrett will be ready to play, but he hasn’t been practicing for most of the week, and there’s no way to know how close to 100% healthy he’ll be on Saturday.
There is absolutely a scenario where Alex Hornibrook throws a couple picks, the Buckeye offense comes out roaring, and OSU rolls. It’s also not hard to see Fumagalli running open in the middle of the field all night, Taylor breaking off a couple long runs, the Buckeyes starting off yet another game in an offensive rut, and OSU leaning a little too heavily on Barrett in the running game.
This time, the only thing that would shock me is if it turned into a shootout. So bet the over.
Wisconsin 24, Ohio State 17