3 reasons the Buckeyes will rout Northwestern
By Alec Hartman
2. The Buckeyes’ defense will shine against a weak Wildcats offense.
The Buckeyes’ defense was the star of the show in their win over Michigan State. The 12 points scored by the Spartans was the least total points allowed by the Buckeyes in a game all season. This was a refreshing development given the up and down nature of the Buckeyes’ defense so far.
Meanwhile, the Wildcats recently suffered their first loss to Michigan State as they let their hopes of an undefeated season slip away. The cause of that loss is directly linked to the Wildcats turning the ball over four times which allowed the Spartans to maintain a modest lead throughout. The Wildcats could not get anything going in the run game.
The Wildcats are led by senior journeyman quarterback Peyton Ramsey. He was previously with Indiana before transferring to Northwestern and winning the job. Though Ramsey has the job of starting quarterback, he has not done a great job. He has ten total touchdowns through seven games with eight of those being passing touchdowns. However, he also has six interceptions with two of those coming in the loss to Michigan State.
Ramsey is sixth in the Big Ten in passing yards but has played more games this season than his competition. Much of his success has been made possible by top receiver Ramaud Chiaokhiao-Bowman who leads the team in receptions, receiving yards, and touchdowns. Bowman is now a senior and has compiled over 800 yards in his college career. This has been his breakout season as he looks to double the total yards he had one season ago while playing in three less games.
The Wildcats operate with a duo of running backs consisting of junior Isaiah Bowser and redshirt sophomore Drake Anderson. Neither are efficient as their highest per carry average is Anderson with 4.1 yards per carry. However, the Wildcats just totaled 411 rushing yards against Illinois in their last game in an impressive performance.
Overall, the Wildcats rank near the middle of the pack in scoring offense within the Big Ten which isn’t very threatening. In a game that will likely entail the Wildcats playing from behind, it is not likely that the Wildcats’ passing offense which ranks second last in the Big Ten will be able to save them. Expect the Buckeyes to build upon their recent impressive defensive performance and keep the Wildcats in check.