Ohio State visits Wisconsin ahead of their second bye week. The Buckeyes look to keep momentum rolling as they face the struggling Badgers in Madison. 

The Ohio State Buckeyes will remain at number one for another week after their 18-point win at then-number 17 ranked Illinois 34-16. Ryan Day’s side now sit at 6-0 and are 3-0 in conference play. The Indiana Hoosiers are the only other Big Ten side that is undefeated through seven weeks. The win at Illinois was the second road game for Ohio State in a four-week stretch that features three road contests.

The Wisconsin Badgers are one of five Big Ten teams that are 0-3 in conference play after their embarrassing performance against the Iowa Hawkeyes where they got shutout 37-0 at home. The Badgers haven’t scored more than 10 points the last three games, and haven’t scored more than 14 points since the season-opener when they scored 17 points. They are arguably the worst team in the conference, and changes are to be expected in the near future.

This game features two teams going in polar-opposite directions. One team is the reigning national champions, number one team in the country, and boasts an undefeated record with multiple Heisman trophy candidates. The other just lost 37-0 to a team that is known to struggle on offense, and are now staring at a 2-5 record after this game.

There aren’t too many storylines of note in this one, but let’s break down each team’s last game and what to expect in this contest.

Ohio State Remains Dominant

The Buckeyes jumped out to a 20-3 halftime lead against the Fighting Illini and never looked back en route to an 18-point road victory, making it nine wins in a row against Illinois. Illinois got some of their yards and points in garbage time, as the first-team defense continued to dominate throughout the game. The offense struggled again to finish drives but still put up 34 points on the road which will win them almost any game with this defense.

Julian Sayin continues to be smart with the football and make good decisions and he did so in this game. The young star went 19/27 for 166 passing yards with two passing touchdowns and no turnovers. Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate didn’t have insane games from a numbers perspective but won their matchups and kept the offense moving on countless occasions. They combined for nine catches and 83 yards with Smith getting yet another touchdown. Max Klare had one of his best games as a Buckeye with four catches and 38 receiving yards.

On the ground, Bo Jackson led the way with 47 rushing yards on ten carries, and had a very impressive receiving touchdown as well. CJ Donaldson continues to punch it in for the Buckeyes at the goalline and had two rushing touchdowns in this one. Seven different Buckeyes registered a carry in this one, but as a team only averaged 2.9 yards per carry. I could see this being a point of emphasis heading into a game where the offense might be chewing clock.

The linebackers continue to lead the silver bullets defense and stole the show yet again. Sonny Styles led the team with 10 total tackles including eight solo tackles, and his partner in crime Arvell Reese had nine total tackles, one and a half sacks, and one and a half tackles for loss. The third linebacker in the rotation, Payton Pierce, had four tackles and half a tackle for loss, as well as a huge interception and return early in the game.

Kenyatta Jackson Jr. and Jermaine Matthews Jr. both got into the backfield as the Buckeyes made the Fighting Illini work for everything. They finished with just 47 rushing yards and 1.7 yards per carry, and some of their passing yards came with the game out of reach. This defense continues to be arguably the best unit in the entire country, and will be giving the Badgers all they can handle in this one. If the defense continues playing like this, Ryan Day’s side will be extremely hard to beat.

Badgers Have Seen Better Days

The Wisconsin Badgers are now 2-4 after falling to the Iowa Hawkeyes 37-0 in a game that was never close. The Badgers trailed 17-0 after the first quarter and 23-0 at halftime, and couldn’t get the offense going the entirety of the game. This was the first time the Badgers have been shutout at home since 1980, and the first time overall since 1996. Counting the post-season, we all remember what happened in the 2014 Big Ten Championship game.

Quarterback Hunter Simmons completed just eight passes on 21 attempts for 82 passing yards and two interceptions. Only one receiver had more than one catch, and the tight end Lance Mason led the team with 29 receiving yards. Running back Dilin Jones led the Badgers offense with 69 rushing yards on 16 carries.

The defense for Wisconsin didn’t give up much through the air but got bullied on the ground. The Hawkeyes had four rushing touchdowns and ran for 210 rushing yards on 5.8 yards per carry. Linebacker Christian Alliegro led the team with ten total tackles and had a pass deflection. 

Linebacker Darryl Peterson had two tackles for loss and the Badgers had five total, but didn’t register a sack. Linebacker Tackett Curtis and safety Austin Brown are other names to watch on the defense. Through six games they have allowed at least 17 in every game, at least 24 in five games, and 37 or more three times.

What To Watch For

This game could very well end the same way as last week for the Wisconsin Badgers with a blowout shutout loss at home. They might not get completely shutout, but this Buckeyes defense has done it already this season. Points will be very hard to come by and I would be surprised if the Badgers find the endzone more than once. Their offense hasn’t scored more than 14 points since week one when they scored 17 points, and in three conference games they have 20 total points.

The defense is filled with playmakers at all three levels and Matt Patricia has been elite in his new role. The Badgers offense has not proven to be good in either facet of the offense, especially not passing. No matter who is under center, they will struggle against this defense.

On the offensive side of the ball under Brian Hartline, the Buckeyes will continue to use their elite playmakers out wide early and often. At least that’s the hope, as Julian Sayin has more than proven he can take on more responsibility even on the road. Especially if this game is out of hand and almost over by halftime, I think the offense will feature the running backs and try to get the ground game going behind the solid offensive line the Ohio State offense possesses.

The spread opened at Ohio State -26.5 and is currently at that line. The over/under point total opened at 41.5 and is also currently unchanged, as a Buckeyes blowout with minimal points for the Badgers is predicted. The Buckeyes have a 94.8 percent chance to win according to ESPN Analytics. I think that will be the consensus for good reason, and that the running game and pass defense will feast in this one. The world-famous Buckeyes improve to 7-0 and get another deserved bye week.

Prediction: Ohio State 38 Wisconsin 6