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Thursday, March 28, 2024
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The Badgers last played Ohio State in the 2014 Big Ten Championship Game, where they lost 59-0.

Buckeyes eyeing National Championship

Most teams would expect the schedule to get easier after facing two top-10 opponents on the road in consecutive weeks. For the Badgers, though, the schedule only gets harder, as after a one-week hiatus from game action, they prepare for what will likely be their toughest test of the season: Urban Meyer’s Ohio State Buckeyes.

This will be Wisconsin’s first matchup with OSU since the 2014 Big Ten Championship Game in which the Badgers were trounced by a score of 59-0. The Buckeyes used that win to catapult themselves into the first College Football Playoff en route to their eighth national championship.

A little less than two years later, the names on most of the jerseys have changed, but the expectations in Columbus remain the same. Despite losing 12 players to the NFL draft, including four All-Americans, Ohio State has been, by some metrics, the best team in college football so far this season.

A 77-10 win over Bowling Green in their first game of the season, in which the Buckeyes broke a school record for total yardage, set the tone for the season. OSU’s offense has been prolific and currently ranks fifth nationally in total yards, gaining an average of 537.6 yard per game.

Their potent offense has been led by redshirt junior quarterback J.T. Barrett, who as a freshman in 2014 started the first 12 games before injuring his ankle in the final regular season game. In his junior season, Barrett has placed himself firmly in the Heisman Trophy discussion throwing for 981 yards with 15 touchdowns with only 3 interceptions.

How the Ohio State offense deals with the Wisconsin defense will be something to watch, as the Buckeyes will need to be able to perform well against top defenses to have any hope of winning another national championship in January.

The Buckeyes also field a defense that is as suffocating as the offensive is explosive. They rank second in the country in scoring defense, allowing only 10.8 points per game. They have also recorded 10 interceptions this season, four of which have been returned for touchdowns, the top mark in the country.

Ohio State will be looking to bounce back after a lackluster performance against Indiana last Saturday in Columbus. The Hoosiers stayed within a touchdown for much of the game before two late rushing touchdowns sealed the deal. Barrett struggled through the air, completing just 9-of-21 passes for 93 yards, but still managed to get the job done, ultimately rushing for 137 yards and a touchdown in the win.

Facing Wisconsin at Camp Randall will be an important test for a young team that has yet to play a Big Ten road game. No program in the country seeks the spotlight quite like “The Ohio State University,” and with ESPN’s “College Gameday” in Madison, head coach Urban Meyer is sure to have his team ready to put on a show.

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