Ohio State hosts in-state foe Ohio under the lights in a Week 3 showdown following its dominant victory over Grambling.

The 2-0 No.1-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes will host the 1-1 Ohio Bobcats Saturday night at 7 pm EST in what will be the third-straight home game for the scarlet and gray to start the season. Ohio State opened the year with a thrilling victory over the previous top-ranked team, the Texas Longhorns, and followed that up with a dominant shutout win over the Grambling State Tigers last weekend. Ohio University lost a hard-fought battle against Rutgers to open the year, but had a signature win last weekend when it defeated West Virginia.

Ohio State Will Host Ohio University For First Time Since 2010

Both teams were able to touch up some areas of concern in week two, and both walked away with big victories. One was a 70-0 whopping while the other was a low-scoring victory over a bigger school. Regardless of the opponent, it will be nice to see a night game at the Shoe for the first time in a long time. Let’s preview the action.

Buckeyes Explode Vs Grambling

After a methodical and defensive slugfest in the opener, Ohio State was able to flex its muscles and deliver big plays all day long against Grambling in week two. Julian Sayin set the school record for most completions to start a game, and finished 18/19 for 306 passing yards with four passing touchdowns and one interception in the first half.

10 different Buckeye receivers caught a target led by Jeremiah Smith, who had 119 receiving yards and two touchdowns, including an 87-yard catch and run early in the game. Carnell Tate, Will Kacmarek, and Jelani Thurman all found the endzone as the Buckeyes finished with 377 receiving yards and five receiving touchdowns Saturday afternoon.

Eight different Buckeyes had a carry in this one, with freshman running back Bo Jackson stealing the show. Jackson had nine carries for 108 yards and a touchdown, with a longest rush of 51 yards. James Peoples added eight carries for 59 yards on the ground. CJ Donaldson, Isaiah West, and Sam Dixon all found the endzone, and the Buckeyes finished with 274 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns in a dominant effort.

The defense held Grambling to just 72 passing yards and 94 rushing yards on the day and pitched a shutout. Riley Pettijohn had a fumble return for a touchdown, while Epi Sitanilei also had a fumble recovery. Caleb Downs added an interception, and the Buckeyes flew to the ball for four quarters in the shutout victory.

Bobcats Knock Off The Mountaineers

The Ohio Bobcats got their first win of the young season this past weekend as they defeated the West Virginia Mountaineers 17-10. They had a 17-7 halftime lead and were able to hold on for a massive win over the Big 12 opponent.

Quarterback Parker Navarro threw three picks but made some big plays in the game, finishing 22/31 for 247 passing yards and a passing touchdown. He also carried the ball 18 times for 87 yards on the ground and had a 19-yard run. Running back Sieh Bangura had the only other touchdown on the day and added 66 rushing yards on 20 carries.

Wide receiver Chase Hendricks was Navarro’s favorite target all game long and finished with eight receptions, with the next closest receiver having just three catches. He had 121 receiving yards, including a 38-yard catch and a 31-yard touchdown.

The Ohio defense was stingy, especially in the second half, holding West Virginia to 178 passing yards and just 72 rushing yards. The defense picked off West Virginia quarterback Nicco Marchiol once and disrupted the offense with four sacks and seven tackles for loss.

What To Expect in This In-State Matchup

The Buckeyes have looked as good as any team in the country through two weeks and have earned the top spot in the rankings. They were able to hit on some big plays last game and fly around, forcing turnovers on the defensive side of the ball. The Ohio State offense has leaned on a plethora of weapons and is finding its stride in both the air and ground games.

On the defensive side of the ball, the Silver Bullets held a talented offense to seven points in the opener, followed by a shutout last week. The big names are making big plays and leading the defense that has a unique blend of experience and newness. Both new coordinators have shown they can run their units and have added unique wrinkles to the game.

The Ohio Bobcat offense has had a unique blend of passing and rushing under quarterback Parker Navarro, who leads the team in both categories. The defense allowed Rutgers to make plays against them, but played better last week against West Virginia, holding them to a low score, especially in the second half.

This game will be a good middle ground challenge for the Buckeyes after playing one of the hardest opponents and one of the easiest opponents in the first two games. The Ohio Bobcats will be a good opportunity to continue building on what this team wants their identity to be. Ohio has had two battles against Power 4 opponents, and I could see them slowing down a little in this game.

The Bobcats have been a fun team to watch this season, but there is a big talent gap, and the Buckeyes have looked as good as any team in the entire country. I expect Sayin to continue to sling the ball to his elite weapons, and the offense to continue to figure out the workload with the different running backs. The defense should force another turnover or two and slow down the dual-threat quarterback for the Bobcats, leading to a comfortable victory in the Shoe in front of the gray-out crowd, along with the stripes in the student section.

Prediction: Ohio State 45 Ohio 10