Ohio State football: 5 reasons the Buckeyes will demolish Tulane

The Ohio State Buckeyes will return home this weekend to host the Tulane Green Wave

The results for the Ohio State football team’s first real test of the season came in last weekend. The Buckeyes passed with flying colors as they took care of business against TCU on the road. This was a game that provided some much needed insight on how this Buckeyes team operates against a real opponent.

It may not have been easy but the Buckeyes pulled out the win over TCU even after trailing at halftime. It was actually a major positive that the Buckeyes were trailing during this game as it exposed them to some adversity. Winning every game handily does nothing in terms of providing necessary experience in the category of getting through tough situations against upper-level teams.

It was a low scoring first half in what had the looks of a high scoring affair leading up to this match up. Both teams were very capable of scoring points and each side had their weaknesses on defense. The score was just 13-14 going into the break with TCU holding the slight advantage.

The Buckeyes began the game red hot as they sent shots down the field early. Dwayne Haskins hit on his first deep shot to Austin Mack in the first possession. The Buckeyes would subsequently settle for just a field goal after a missed opportunity for a touchdown. Mack dropped a wide open pass in the end zone which led to the end of the drive.

Both teams turned up the intensity on defense following that opening drive as that goal-line stand seemed to give TCU some momentum back. A touchdown in that situation could have set the Buckeyes much further ahead and more importantly retained momentum.

TCU head coach Gary Patterson has made a point of having his defenses play tough during his tenure. This is rare given the general outlook on Big 12 defenses. This game saw Haskins under pressure in the pocket several more times than either previous opponent the Buckeyes have faced.

Head coach Urban Meyer will make his return to the Buckeyes. Meyer’s suspension is finally up after being absent from the Buckeyes’ first three games. This will give the Buckeyes a major boost in morale. On another note, interim head coach Ryan Day was great with the Buckeyes in his absence in terms of management and play-calling. The play-calling duties look to remain in the hands of Day and offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson even with the return of Meyer.

The Buckeyes will now turn their attention to Tulane of the American Athletic Conference. Their record currently stands at 1-2 and they are coming off a loss to the UAB Blazers. This will be the Buckeyes’ first-ever match up with Tulane.

This weekend beholds yet another opportunity for the Buckeyes to improve. The Buckeyes will look to keep their win streak alive by defeating the Tulane Green Wave on Saturday. It’s expected that the Buckeyes will easily dispatch the Green Wave but more importantly, it gives the Buckeyes a chance to prove their consistency once more. Look for the Buckeyes to calm the seas as they turn the tide on the Green Wave with a win this weekend.