What to Expect

Some people have said this could be a game OSU looks past as they prepare for Wisconsin, but I don't buy that argument. This team has already had wake up calls against Ohio and USC, and possibly against Troy. Ohio State still has many things to work out on the offensive end, breaking in a new quarterback, adapting new plays for the new QB style, and plugging in Beanie. That being said, OSU is in a good position to win the conference and return to a BCS game. The loss by USC last night is an indication of what to expect this season, with other highly ranked teams getting upset. Hopefully OSU will benefit by those upsets, and not be one of the victims.

In regards to Minnesota, they are not that far removed from an 1-11 season, and many of those same parts are in place. Coach Brewster had a great recruitment class, and some of those players are on the depth chart, but look for them to make an impact in the coming years. The defense is still struggling, having allowed non-conference schools to move the ball, and the offense can be stopped by shutting down receiver Eric Decker, who has almost half of the reception yards for the entire team. Look for Jenkins to match up against him, and Decker only has an inch in height advantage over Jenkins. Beanie is back, but it is not clear how much he will play. Regardless, look for OSU to run the ball quite a bit. Minnesota could keep this close with turnovers, as they are #4 in the nation in turnover margin, but I don't think they will win the turnover margin in this game. Minnesota will score, but OSU should have this game in control mid-way into the second quarter.