"We played much better on offensive line. Controlled the line of scrimmage. The receivers had a very good day. Offensively, it's close. The alarming part is the underthrown deep ball, which is fixable. It's not fixable when you don't have wideouts that can stretch a field. But we do." - Urban Meyer
Urban Meyer After 38-12 Win Over Western Michigan Source: Eleven Warriors
+ The offensive line controlled the line of scrimmage for the Buckeyes, which was a positive, and the wide receivers were very good all game long.
+ "Alarming part is the underthrown deep ball." Meyer said it was fixable, however.
+ Cardale Jones played "okay". Ezekiel Elliott continues to be the most consistent offensive player they have.
+ They still need to get Curtis Samuel more involved.
+ Meyer felt much better about his offense after this game than he did after previous games.
+ The special teams were dynamic, especially the punt team and coverage, but they have to clean up the penalties.
+ This was not a typical game for the Silver Bullets. The interior run was an issue. The defensive touchdown is always a game changer.
+ The deep ball is a staple of their offense and they'll practice the heck out of it this week and get it fixed. "I can count five times we were behind them."
+ They are trying to get Braxton Miller the ball but "we're just not having the big hits right now. We will."
+ The defense is disappointed in their performance despite the touchdown scored by Adolphus Washington.
+ Tim Beck did a great job with an expanded role in the play calling today.
Ed Warinner & Numeous Buckeyes Player Updates...
Ed Warinner following Ohio State's 38-12 win over Western Michigan - Eleven Warriors
With 4:02 remaining in the 2nd quarter, and Ohio State leading 17-6, Ohio State's Adolphus Washington picks of WMU QB Zach Terrell at the Broncos 20 yd and returns it for a score.
Source: BTN
Defensive tackle Adolphus Washington scored his first touchdown Saturday in Ohio State’s 38-12 win over Western Michigan, but the senior didn’t stick around to tell the tale.
It was up to others to speak on his behalf as the Buckeyes defense recorded a touchdown in a third straight game.
“It’s big time, because a lot of times, he’s taking up two blockers so me and Raekwon McMillan can run free and make tackles,” linebacker Joshua Perry said of the defensive tackles’ usual plight.
“The fact he’s able to score a touchdown and he’s going to get headlines is awesome.”
On that play, Washington stayed with the offensive linemen as the Broncos tried to set up a screen pass to their right. Quarterback Zach Terrell wound up flipping it right to Washington, a former high-school basketball player. Washington leaped slightly to make the interception and then ran 20 yards for the touchdown and a 24-6 lead in the second quarter.
“All I saw was Adolphus running with the ball,” coach Urban Meyer said. “That’s obviously a big momentum pick up for us.”
Western Michigan coach P.J. Fleck did not blame Terrell, except to say the pass could have been higher.
“The guy (Washington) over there is just a player, and he’s getting double-teamed,” Fleck said. “You can’t see him when we’ve got a right tackle and a right guard on him. All of a sudden, these big bear claws go up in the air.’’
Terrell agreed.
“That was a great play by 92,’’ he said. “He did a great job of finding the ball.” Source: Columbus Dispatch
Urban dictionary
What he said: “All I saw was Adolphus running with the ball.” — referring to the 20-yard interception return for a touchdown by 290-pound defensive tackle Adolphus Washington
What it means: “A guy that size fills your entire field of vision.” Source: Columbus Dispatch
Ohio State QB Cardale Jones after Ohio State's win over Western Michigan
Quarterback Cardale Jones was better but still not good enough.
Jones came through with an effective, although sometimes erratic, performance in throwing two touchdown passes and leading No. 1 Ohio State to a 38-12 victory over Western Michigan on Saturday.
Coach Urban Meyer said earlier this week that Jones was his starter despite two subpar performances that led to the quarterback's benching against Northern Illinois on Sept. 16.
Jones was 19 of 33 for 288 yards, but hit only 6 of 14 in the second half when he threw his only interception. J.T. Barrett, who replaced Jones against Northern Illinois, came on in the final 6:34 and threw an interception on his first drive.
''Overall, I thought Cardale played okay,'' Ohio State coach Urban Meyer said. ''He threw for 288. I still give him the okay because we have high expectations.''
Jones started strong for the Buckeyes (4-0), who won their 17th straight game. He threw a 38-yard TD pass to Michael Thomas on Ohio State's first series and added a 37-yard scoring pass to Jalin Marshall early in the second.
But he was called for intentional grounding at the Western Michigan 15 with 8 seconds left in the second quarter. The penalty brought an automatic 10-second runoff to end the half with OSU up 24-6.
Jones was also short on several long passes, one in the third quarter to Marshall in the end zone that resulted in an interception by Darius Phillips.
''The alarming part is the underthrown deep ball, which is fixable,'' Meyer said. ''It's not fixable when you don't have wideouts that can stretch a field. But we do.''
The good news for the Buckeyes was at least Jones was trying to go deep. With the graduation of Devin Smith, Jones' favorite target last season, there hasn't been a suitable replacement.
Jones was able to buy time in the pocket on several occasions and hit Thomas once for a 40-yard gain, a sign that Jones might be regaining his confidence. He missed several wide open receivers and forced a few throws.
''I definitely felt more comfortable,'' Jones said. ''We're starting to get on the same page as not just receivers or offensive line or things like that. I think everyone felt way more comfortable today.''
His uneven play was mirrored by the usually stout Ohio State defense, which scored for the third straight game when tackle Adolphus Washington rumbled 20 yards after intercepting Broncos quarterback Zach Terrell in the second quarter.
Western Michigan vs Ohio State (Sep 26, 2015) Source: OSU Official Site Scoring Summary, Team Statistics, Individual Statistics, Drive Chart, Defensive Statistics, Game Participation, Box Score, Play-by-Play, Play breakdown
Star of the game: Ohio State quarterback Cardale Jones knows that if he hadn’t tried to be so fine on a couple of deep passes that his star would have been even brighter. The reanointed starter was 19-of-33 passing for 288 yards with two touchdowns and one interception.
Turning point: Adolphus Washington’s 20-yard interception return at 4:02 of the second quarter was the senior defensive tackle’s first touchdown, and it came when he sniffed out a screen pass and hustled to the right spot. His score gave the Buckeyes a 24-6 lead and room to breathe.
Repercussions: The win looks much better than the previous week’s win over another MAC opponent, Northern Illinois. Although things could have been better on offense and defense, OSU will carry a 17-game winning streak into its Big Ten opener at surprisingly undefeated Indiana.
• The win extends Ohio State's win streak to 17 games, the longest active streak in the nation.
• Ohio State is 70-12-1 all-time as the No. 1-ranked team and 53-4 as a No. 1 team vs. unranked opponents.
• Ohio State has at least one rushing touchdown in 43 of 45 games coached by Urban Meyer.
• Urban Meyer improves to 146-26 in his career and maintains the highest winning percentage (.848) among active coaches.
• Meyer is 54-5 in his career in games played in August and September.
• Cardale Jones set a career high with 288 passing yards and 19 completions, topping the 257 yards he had vs. Wisconsin
Dec. 6, 2014 in the Big Ten Championship game and the 18 completions he had vs. Alabama Jan. 1 in the Sugar Bowl CFP
semifi nal.
• The 124 yards by Ezekiel Elliott represent the ninth-consecutive game and his 14th overall with at least 100 yards.
• Michael Thomas' 38-yard touchdown reception in the first quarter marked his fifth reception of 20-or-more yards this season.
The touchdown catch was Thomas' third of the year and 12th of his career. With 80 yards receiving in the game, Thomas
reached the 1,000 yard mark for his career and now has 1,059 as a Buckeye.
• Thomas has caught at least one pass in 20-consecutive games.
• Jalin Marshall's 37-yard touchdown reception from Jones marked his first touchdown grab of the season after catching six a
year ago.
• Tyvis Powell's blocked field goal in the fi rst quarter was the fi rst blocked fi eld goal by the Buckeyes since Johnathan Hankins
blocked one against Purdue in 2012.
• The Ohio State defense has not allowed a run of 20 or more yards through the fi rst four games of the season.
• Curtis Samuel's 40-yard reception in the second quarter was a career long. He also recorded a career-long 40-yard touchdown
run in the fourth quarter for his fi rst score on the ground this season.
• Adolphus Washington's second-quarter interception was the first of his career to go along with his first career touchdown
after the 20-yard return. It was the third defensive touchdown of the season for the Buckeyes.
• Raekwon McMillan tallied a career-high 16 tackles vs. the Broncos. His pervious best was nine vs. Northern Illinois last
week. Eight of the tackles were solo, also a career high.
• Joshua Perry had 13 tackles against the Broncos, his fifth career game with at least 10 tackles and second in a row.
• Cameron Johnston's 67-yard punt in the second quarter marked his longest of the season.
• Johnston had three punts downed inside the 20 (on the 1, 8 and 13) and and now has 64 in his career, a mark that is second
in Ohio State history to A.J. Trapasso who had 78 from 2005-08.
Numbers for dummies
7-0: Cardale Jones’ record as a starter
0-5: Mike Hart’s record vs. Ohio State (0-4 as a Michigan running back and 0-1 as the Western Michigan running backs coach)
15: Ohio State defensive touchdowns in 45 games under Urban Meyer, including the past three weeks
The view
How the team sees it: Ask Alabama whether it would mind being an ugly 4-0.
How the pollsters will see it: Buckeyes don’t look like a No. 1 team. Then again, who does?
How Buckeye Nation will see it: I guess we’ll have to dance with the QB who brung us, even when he underthrows us around the floor.
Sources: OSU Official Site, Columbus Dispatch
Ohio State vs. Western Michigan | The Bottom Line Columbus Dispatch - Offense (3 leaves) That fourth leaf was certainly attainable, running alone down the middle of the field, but the Buckeyes’ attempt came up a little short. It was a solid display, though, as Zeke Elliott had his glide on and Cardale Jones made a lot more good tosses than he made bad ones. The line played angry, which was, uh, nice.
Defense (3 leaves)
For a while, the Buckeyes were humming that old Paul Simon tune – why am I soft in the middle? – but they stiffened and straightened out in the end. Adolphus Washington might not win a lot of 20-yard races, but his pick-six helped turn the tables for good.
Special teams (5 leaves)
Compared with Western Michigan’s specialists, OSU might have been a perfect 10 but for penalties. Tyvis Powell’s blocked field-goal attempt was a momentum-changer, Jack Willoughby’s make kept pressure applied, and Cam Johnston kept the Broncos’ backs against the goal line.
Coaching (4 leaves)
Whoever made the decision to shelve the shovel in favor of some more vertical looks in the passing game, bravo. The next step in the process — show off your arm, big fella — should be an easy enough sell. Are defensive coaches withholding meals during the week? They’re playing hungry.
Opponent (3 leaves)
There was much to like about Bronco Billy’s offensive plan — don’t be afraid to run the ball straight ahead, and work the edges with that pest receiver Daniel Braverman. Western row, row, rowed the boat, but nobody goes gently down the stream against this OSU defense.
Officiating (3 leaves)
Todd Geerlings’ group dropped a lot of laundry — 20 penalties were accepted in all. And though most calls looked to be warranted, the refs waited so long to throw the flag on Cardale Jones for grounding that Terry Porter missed the call because he was in the bathroom.
OFFENSIVE LINE GRADE: C The Buckeyes still had trouble working Ezekiel Elliott into the flow, but that had more to do with time of possession and play-calling than inefficient play up front. But make no mistake: There's still plenty to clean up. Protection was better, but this unit isn't grinding people into dust the way it did at the end of last season.
RUNNING GAME GRADE: B Ezekiel Elliott gained 26 yards on OSU's second snap and then only got the ball five more times in the first half. His Heisman hopes might be fading fast, but that's the least of the Buckeyes' concerns. I thought for sure Elliott (16 carries, 124 yards, one TD) would be the focal point of the attack Saturday after WMU had given up nearly 500 yards and five touchdowns rushing to Georgia Southern. But he's still pretty much an afterthought. That's mind-boggling when you consider he's the attack's most reliable option. Curtis Samuel had a shifty 40-yard TD run in the fourth quarter, so maybe that will start a running back controversy. Just kidding.
PASSING GAME GRADE: C Jalin Marshall and Curtis Samuel getting behind the secondary was the boost this offense — especially quarterback Cardale Jones — needed. Jones hit both receivers in stride, Marshall for a 37-yard TD and Samuel for 40 yards to set up a field goal after Michael Thomas caught a 38-yard scoring pass against busted coverage. Can't wait to see if the receivers can get behind B1G defenses. Jones attempted another home run ball to Marshall in the third quarter, but it was intercepted. He made a terrible decision at the end of the first half, getting called for intentional grounding. The Buckeyes were docked 10 seconds for the illegal pass, ending the half when it looked they would at least get a field goal. OSU is still mainly using Braxton Miller as a Wildcat quarterback. I would prefer to see him in the slot, getting the ball in space instead of trying to create it on his own.
DEFENSIVE LINE GRADE: C The lanes WMU ran through in the first quarter were astounding. The Broncos had four running plays of at least 12 yards in that quarter and dominated time of possession, nearly 13 minutes to 2. The front seven tightened up after that, but the disappearance of the Broncos' running attack might have had more to do with falling way behind than anything the Buckeyes were doing. Tackle Adolphus Washington intercepted a pass in the flat and returned it 20 yards for a touchdown in the first half. It was the third defensive score in as many weeks. Can't remember the last time the Buckeyes had a stretch like that. Made it look like more of a dominant half than it really was. Joey Bosa? Hasn't made nearly the impact anybody expected so far.
LINEBACKERS GRADE: B- The front seven adjusted fairly well after a rough first quarter, but the Broncos still put together three drives in the game that were as good as anybody else has mustered this season. Raekwon McMillan was already having a career day with 11 tackles at halftime, but, again, the huge gaps in the middle of the defense — especially early — are problematic. Josh Perry also had double-digit tackles, but when you have two backs flirting with 100 yards and a possession receiver going over the century mark you can't feel good about it.
DEFENSIVE BACKS GRADE: C Daniel Braverman lived up to his pre-game billing. The little receiver twisted the Buckeyes in knots, looking exactly like the kind of guy the New England Patriots will draft. Another Wes Welker, Julian Edelman type. Braverman beat nickle back Marshon Lattimore for a 55-yard TD. Vonn Bell also got beat on a deep ball to Braverman that was negated by penalty. This performance by the backfield came on the heels of a lock-down performance by cornerback Eli Apple against Northern Illinois' nation-leading receiver. If the Broncos hadn't gotten in their own way with penalties and a horrendous kicking game this affair could have been a lot more interesting.
SPECIAL TEAMS GRADE: A- Cameron Johnston did what he does best, dropping two punts inside the 10, including one at the 1. Tyvis Powell blocked a field goal attempt, but Corey Smith had a blocked punt wiped out by a holding call on Michael Thomas. On the re-kick, Smith almost blocked it again. He's been very good on special units this season. Jack Willoughby booted a 30-yard field goal and has now made four straight after missing his first of the season.
COACHING GRADE: B There's plenty for the staff to go over. The offense broke out of its rut, but it's way too early to proclaim it completely healthy. Ezekiel Elliott is still not a big enough part of the offense and Cardale Jones, while better, still looks like a quarterback that might get them beat when you don't expect it. The defense had what could be termed a hiccup. There were gaping holes the Broncos ran through early and the Buckeyes had trouble all day keeping receiving dynamo Daniel Braverman from doing what he does. A third of the way into the season, OSU still looks like a work in progress — and only like a No. 1 team in spurts.
Blue Chip Stocks:
Ezekiel Elliott, RB: It's a breath of fresh air getting to toss Zeke's name back in this category. While he didn't equal previous weeks' carry totals, he still had his best game on the ground in a bit. No. 15 finished with 16 carries, three catches, 153 total yards, and a satisfying touchdown scamper. It was his ninth consecutive game with over 100 yards on the ground.
Elliott looked more explosive than we've seen from him since the Virginia Tech game on Saturday. It's been great watching him demonstrate his versatility in picking up blocks, but it was really nice to see him take handoffs and get back to what he does best against the Broncos. That includes, lest we forget, another open-field hurdle of a defender, a move that would have already gotten stale were it not so damn exciting every single time.
Adolphus Washington, DT: Folks, we've got an early Piesman Trophy candidate on our hands. Washington didn't have his most devastating game of the season -- WMU's offensive line acquitted themselves well in this one -- but he did make enough plays to stand out in Ohio State's front seven. The best of these, of course, was a 20-yard dine and dash in which Washington swallowed up his blocker, leapt for a bad Zach Terrell pass, reeled it in, and took it back to the house.
Washington has been a stalwart for the Buckeyes up front on defense all season, and Saturday was no different. Ohio State actually gave up some ground against Western Michigan, allowing 338 total yards and a whopping 37 minutes of possession, but that didn't stop Washington from eating. He's a force in the middle of the D-line.
Michael Thomas, WR: Is there anything Michael Thomas can't do with the ball in his hands? Saturday saw him put his second goal-line defender of the season on skates on his way in for six. This one came just 49 seconds into the game, with Cardale Jones shaking off the demons of a rough few weeks and hitting Thomas, who didn't have a defender within ten yards of him. He shook a Broncos DB hard enough to get space for a touchdown as he neared the goal line, making it look awfully easy.
Thomas finished with 80 yards (38 coming on that one play) and the aforementioned touchdown on six total grabs. Just as glaring as his strengths were the places where Ohio State's other pass-catchers just don't stack up to Thomas yet, as both Jalin Marshall and Curtis Samuel failed to come down with multiple grabs in traffic -- the kind of passes that Thomas seems to thrive at wrestling away from defenders.
Solid Investments:
Cardale Jones, QB: Urban Meyer's faith in his starting QB was rewarded on Saturday, with King Cardale showing out for almost 300 yards through the air. Jones was 19 of 33 passing on Saturday, not an otherworldly average, but good enough to get the job done and rack up 288 yards against the Broncos. This was a different Cardale Jones than has taken the field the last few weeks for Ohio State. He played as hungry as he has since last year's playoff run, and made a few throws that showed why he's still the man for the Buckeyes.
The best of these tosses was a 37-yard touchdown pass to Jalin Marshall in the second quarter. Marshall did his part to get open -- it helps being noticeably faster than the poor sap tasked with guarding you -- but he couldn't have asked for a better throw from Cardale. The ball dropped in as though it shared a magnet with Marshall's No. 17, and the former high school QB didn't even break stride as he made the grab and stepped in for six.
Jones still has a few issues to iron out before he's back to his full world-wrecking potential, but something was there for him on Saturday that's felt absent since the Virginia Tech romp. His touch wasn't great, as he was picked off once on a teardrop throw towards the end zone and would have coughed up two others were it not for the turf monster robbing the defender of the clean catch. Still, the offense feels like it's grooving again, which is bad news for Ohio State's Big Ten schedule.
Curtis Samuel, H-Back: This was the game we've been waiting for from Samuel. Brooklyn's finest notched 104 yards on just four touches, finding paydirt on a 40-yard run halfway through the fourth quarter to put the exclamation point on the Buckeye victory. Ohio State's coaches are clearly getting more comfortable with the myriad options they have, and fans won't be upset to see Samuel getting a few more touches from here on out.
Junk Bonds:
Nada: Feels good to be able to skate right past this section of the column. You're out of the doghouse, Slobs.
Buy/Sell:
BUY: Ohio State's team defense. Western Michigan's Zach Terrell hung 355 yards on Michigan State a few short weeks ago, and the Spartans needed some serious offensive output to put the Broncos away, 37-24. That wasn't the case for Ohio State. The Buckeyes held Terrell to 18 completions on 33 attempts, good for just 169 yards. Terrell was good for two TDs, but also threw that ugly INT to Adolphus Washington. The Buckeyes were more generous on the ground than usual, giving up 169 yards to match Terrell's, but that's a number that they'll take knowing that Terrell might have put up all 338 of those with his arm against a different team. The defense also scored for the third consecutive week.
SELL: The platoon. This call comes for different reasons than in weeks past, as Cardale Jones played demonstrably better than J.T. Barrett against WMU and put out a performance that will be a great foundation to build upon moving forwards. Jones officially has the keys to the offense, and on Saturday, he looked like he knew just how to drive it.
BUY: The special teams unit. Ohio State's kick-blocking unit is now leasing space in Broncos kicker Andrew Haldeman's head. After Tyvis Powell blocked a field goal that would have put WMU on the board early, Haldeman missed a second FG attempt and an extra point in a day he'd sorely like to forget. The pressure wasn't abnormally high on the second attempt, but the psychological onslaught apparently was. This is a team that's still at its best when it doesn't have the ball in its hands, whether it's on defense or special teams.
106,123 in attendance, the fifth largest crowd WMU has played in front of
-Ohio State’s defense coming into the matchup with the Broncos on average allowed just 225 total yards a game and 119 passing yards a game both of which are good for No. 1 in the Big Ten and No. 5 nationally, WMU finished with 338 total yards the most given up by the Buckeyes in 2015, Bogan and Franklin combined for 161 rushing yards surpassing VaTech’s 128 rushing yards. Prior to this matchup the most passing yards Ohio State had given up at home in 2015 was 85 yards to Hawaii and the most rushing yards the Buckeyes have given up in Columbus was 114 to Hawaii. WMU is the first team to score a touchdown at Ohio Stadium in the second half in 2015
-Daniel Braverman recorded his fourth straight 100-yard receiving game, finishing with 123 yards on 10 grabs and 1 touchdown
-Braverman’s 55 yard touchdown reception was his longest reception of the season
-Jamuri Bogan made his first career start and set career highs in carries (23) and yards (93)
-Darius Phillips recorded 3 pass break ups tying previous career high which came against Michigan State on Sept. 5, 2015
-Phillips recorded two Interceptions in the game a career high, second straight week Phillips has recorded an interception
-Jeremiah Mullinax recorded his second career receiving toucdown from one yard out in the third quarter
-Derrick Mitchell recorded his first career punt which went for 39 yards
WHAT'S AT STAKE
Ohio State can win its 17th straight game and second in as many weeks against a Mid-American Conference team after the No. 1 Buckeyes last week defeated Northern Illinois, 20-13. Western Michigan has the unique opportunity to compare the nation's top two ranked teams, having lost to No. 2 Michigan State 37-24 at home to start the season.
KEY MATCHUP
Western Michigan WR Daniel Braverman vs. Ohio State CBs Eli Apple and Gareon Conley. Braverman leads the NCAA with 13.3 catches per game and his 132.7 receiving yards is the sixth best average. He had 14 catches for 167 yards last week vs. Murray State. He will test an Ohio State defense that has allowed fewer than 100 yards passing in each of the past two games.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Ohio State: All eyes are on QB Cardale Jones, who was pulled for J.T. Barrett in the second quarter vs. Northern Illinois after throwing two interceptions. Coach Urban Meyer is sticking with Jones and said the problem is that the entire offense is "in a funk."
Western Michigan: QB Zach Terrell is tied for 10th nationally with 947 passing yards and has a completion rate of 70.7 percent with five interceptions. He threw for 365 yards against a good Michigan State defense.
FACTS & FIGURES
Ohio State was one of the most consistent third-down teams in the FBS last season, but the Buckeyes have struggled mightily on third down in 2015. Entering this week, Ohio State ranks outside the FBS top 100 in third-down yards per play (110th), conversion rate (T-102nd), and percentage of plays going for five yards or more (T-119th).
Both coaches are former Ohio State graduate assistants. Broncos coach
P.J. Fleck got his start in coaching under Jim Tressel in 2006 when the Buckeyes reached the BCS championship game. Among wide receivers he worked with is current NFL players Ted Ginn Jr. and Brian Hartline.
Meyer was a GA for Earle Bruce in 1986-87.
Two Western Michigan special team players have ties to central Ohio: P J. Schroeder is a Columbus native and long snapper Wyatt Pfeifer is from nearby Delaware.
Ohio State is 31-1 all-time vs. MAC opponents.
Georgia Southern put up a staggering 413 rushing yards on Western Michigan
1. Find offensive identity
Now that coach Urban Meyer has named Cardale Jones as the starting quarterback, it’s time for the Buckeyes to figure out what they do best with him. Having skill players such as Ezekiel Elliott, Michael Thomas, Braxton Miller and Jalin Marshall should result in a potent offense, but the Buckeyes have been unable to find their groove since the opening win over Virginia Tech. They need to find some bread-and-butter plays for their playmakers, establish some confidence and expand the playbook from there.
2. Be prepared for anything
It has become almost a weekly refrain: The defense the opponent showed on tape wasn’t what they showed on the field. Last week, the Buckeyes were surprised when Northern Illinois played a 3-4 defense. But they should know by now that few teams are going to be content to line up against them without making substantial changes.
3. Keep defense strong
While the offense has struggled, the defense has maintained its championship form. At every layer of the defense, the Buckeyes have been outstanding. Adolphus Washington has anchored the front along with Joey Bosa. The linebackers are playing superbly, as has the secondary. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
4. Slow Daniel Braverman
Western Michigan doesn’t have the firepower that Ohio State has, but receiver Daniel Braverman can be a headache for opponents. The shifty fourth-year junior already has 40 catches and three touchdowns this season. The Broncos like to get him the ball in space so he can use his speed and creativity. The Buckeyes have been air-tight this season in the open field. But one false move and Braverman can make them pay.
• Ohio State enters the game having won 16 in a row overall, the longest active streak in the nation.
• Ohio State has won 68 of its last 69 regular-season home games against unranked, non-conference opponents.
• Running back Ezekiel Elliott has a current streak of eight consecutive games with at least 100 yards rushing. He is third in the Big Ten with 110.3 yards per game.
• Safety Vonn Bell leads the Big Ten with six passes defended. He has five pass break-ups and one interception.
• Ohio State's defense is giving up 225.0 total and 119.0 passing yards per game, both of which are good for No. 1 in the Big Ten and No. 5 in the FBS.
• Ohio State is one of only four teams from a Power 5 conference to not allow a rush of 20 yards or more. The Buckeyes also have given up just one rushing TD this season.
• Ohio State is tied for fourth in the FBS with 12 quarterback sacks in 2015.
• In the win over NIU, Ohio State scored a defensive TD -- Darron Lee's 41-yard INT return -- and held its opponent under 100 yards passing for the second week in a row.
• Urban Meyer has the highest winning percentage (.848) among active coaches.
• Meyer is 23-1 at home at Ohio State and 53-5 in his career in games played in August and September.
THE SILVER BULLET DEFENSE Ohio State's defense has been nothing short of dominant this season, living up to its "Silver Bullets" billing. The Buckeyes are giving up just 225.0 total yards per game and 12.3 points, including just 13 total points in the past two games. Three of the four touchdowns scored by opponents this season have been a result of short fields. NIU's only TD drive started at the Ohio State 22-yard line and two of Virginia Tech's scoring drives started at the Ohio State 38- and 41-yard lines.
Here is a breakdown of what Ohio State's defense has done so far this season and where they rank:
• The 38-0 win over Hawai'i marked the fifth shutout for the Buckeyes in the Meyer era.
• The Silver Bullets have recorded at least two shutouts in a season in each of the past two years. The Buckeyes shut out Kent State (66-0) and Wisconsin (59-0) in 2014 and Florida A&M (76-0) and Purdue (56-0) in 2013.
• For the second week in a row, Ohio State scored a defensive touchdown and held its opponent under 100 yards passing in the win over NIU.
• Held NIU to 404 yards below its season average.
• No. 5 in the FBS and No. 1 in the Big Ten in fewest yards allowed (225.0 ypg).
• No. 5 in the FBS and No. 1 in the Big Ten in total passing yards allowed (119.0 ypg).
• No. 5 in the FBS in opponent completion percentage (.451).
• No. 4 in the FBS and No. 1 in the Big Ten in opponent passer rating (81.6).
• T-4th in the FBS with 12 sacks.
• Are one of only 4 teams from a Power 5 conference to not allow a rush of 20 yards or more this season.
• No. 1 in the Big Ten in fewest first downs allowed (40).
• T-2nd in the Big Ten with 5 interceptions.
• Vonn Bell: No. 1 in the Big Ten in passes defended (6).
• Three Buckeyes (Darron Lee, Sam Hubbard and Tyquan Lewis) rank in the Top 10 in the Big Ten in sacks.
Source: 247Sports
Noah Brown out for season. Parris Campbell out with knee bruise. Damon Webb suspended.
Preview: Western Michigan at No. 1 Ohio State September 25, 2015 Source: Eleven Warriors - For now the second straight week, the Buckeye offense has been the talk both within and outside the program in mainstream media. Meyer's power spread attack has looked anything but powerful in underwhelming performances against Hawai'i and Northern Illinois, tallying fewer than five yards per play in each.
"The key to an offense for us, and for anybody that's a good offense, is control the line of scrimmage, very good on the perimeter and a very good play-action passing game," Meyer said. "Control the line of scrimmage, things start moving. Big games last year, that's what happened. You control the line of scrimmage and then you start moving the ball."
The absences of Evan Spencer, Devin Smith and Jeff Heuerman are palpable for the Ohio State offense, but there are more than enough capable bodies to replace them. The group is still working through the transitional phase away from that veteran presence, as well as having Ed Warinner calling plays instead of Tom Herman...
Western Michigan players to watch Corey Davis and Daniel Braverman Western Michigan has one of the best one-two punches in the country at wide receiver with Corey Davis and Daniel Braverman. The two broke out in 2014, combining for 164 receptions, 2,405 receiving yards and 21 touchdowns.
So far in 2015, the pair of wideouts are on pace to eclipse the insane numbers they put together a season ago. Braverman leads the team with an incredible 40 receptions for 398 yards and three touchdowns, while Davis has hauled in 18 receptions for 309 yards and three scores. The two will challenge Ohio State's dominant secondary this Saturday.
Caleb Bailey
Ohio State's struggles offensively will continue if it doesn't game-plan for linebacker Caleb Bailey. The redshirt sophomore has anchored Western Michigan's defense, leading the team with three tackles for loss so far this season. Bailey is starting to find himself in the Broncos defense, and he showcased that by leading the team with eight tackles in an impressive 52-20 victory over Murray State last Saturday...
Why not us? P.J. Fleck has to have his team thinking that if Northern Illinois can come into Columbus and almost upset Ohio State, why can't Western Michigan? Fleck started off his coaching career as a grad assistant at Ohio State under Jim Tressel, so he knows all about the mystique of The Horseshoe. The Broncos opened the season by facing Michigan State, so they already have a game under their belt against one of the upper echelon teams in the Big Ten. Even though Western Michigan fell behind the Spartans in the first half, they didn't give up and were threatening to close to within a touchdown of Michigan State late in the fourth quarter before a turnover ended those hopes.
Pitch and catch. The Ohio State secondary is playing at an exceptional level right now, but they'll have their work cut out for them in trying to contain Corey Davis and Daniel Braverman. For as productive as Davis has been so far in his Western Michigan career, it's hard to believe he is only a junior. With two receiving touchdowns last week against Murray State, Davis inched his way up into a tie for fifth all-time on Western Michigan's career receiving touchdowns list. After grabbing 67 passes for 941 yards in his freshman season, Davis really made a name for himself last year, racking up 78 catches for 1,408 yards and 15 touchdowns. At 6-3, Davis provides a big target for quarterback Zach Terrell, which Terrell utilizes as the Broncos get closer to the end zone.
Super sophomore. Western Michigan has plenty of talent to get the job on offense done through the air, but what really made them tick last year was the performance of true freshman running back Jarvion Franklin. The Illinois native was a workhorse for the Broncos, carrying 306 times for 1,551 yards and 24 touchdowns on the ground. In seven games last year, Franklin rumbled for at least 140 yards. While he slowed down to end the season, a lot of that can be attributed to the freshman being leaned on so heavily in the first half of the season...
• This will be the first-ever meeting between the Broncos and the Buckeyes
• WMU’s last win against a Big Ten opponent came in 2008 when the Broncos beat Illinois 23-17
• The Broncos’ last road win against a Big Ten team came in 207
• Redshirt junior wide receiver Daniel Braverman leads all of Division I FBS with an average of 13.3 receptions per game through the first three weeks of the season
• Braverman set career-highs in receptions (14) and receiving yards (167) and tied his career-high with two touchdowns against Murray State
• Braverman ranks sixth in the nation in receiving yards with an average of 132.7 yards per game
• Corey Davis tied Juan Nunez for fifth on the career touchdown receptions list at WMU with two scores against Murray State
• Davis and Braverman both went over 100 yards in the same game for the fourth time in their careers, tying the best all-time mark for one receiving duo at WMU
• WMU went off for 628 offensive yards against Murray State, the first time the team broke 600 yards of total offense since 2012 against Eastern Illinois
• Jarvion Franklin had his first standout performance of the season with 163 yards rushing, 189 all-purpose yards and a score against Murray State
• Darius Phillips scored his second touchdown of the season, this time on an interception return, against Murray State
• Phillips ranks fourth on the team in scoring despite not playing a down on offense this year
• A Bronco scored their first career touchdown for the third straight week on Saturday, as Tom Flacco rushed for a touchdown in the fourth quarter over Murray State
SEASON STORIES
• WMU is helmed by reigning MAC Coach of the Year PJ Fleck, who engineered the biggest turnaround in the nation in 2014 with a seven-win improvement from the previous season
• Fleck is one of the few coaches in the country to have played and coached at both the Division I FBS and NFL levels
• The Broncos return the first player in Mid-American Conference history to win the league’s Offensive Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year awards in the same season, Jarvion Franklin
• Franklin rushed for 1,551 yards and posted a program record 25 total touchdowns in 2014, and is the only MAC player to appear on the Walter Camp Player of the Year award preseason watch list
• WMU brings back nine players that earned All-MAC honors in 2014, more than any other MAC school
• The Broncos’ six returning All-MAC offensive players are still more than any other MAC school
• Fourteen Broncos were named to preseason award watch-lists prior to the start of the 2015 season
• According to the NCAA’s strength of schedule method, the Broncos enter the season with the most difficult schedule in the MAC and the 33rd-toughest in the nation
• WMU’s non-conference schedule includes two of the top five teams in the nation, according to preseason polls: Michigan State (#5/6) and defending national champion Ohio State (#1/1)
• The Broncos’ three Division I FBS opponents in their non-conference schedule combined for a 34-6 record in 2014
Turnovers
The bottom line is Western Michigan can't afford to have any and the Broncos need the Buckeyes to make mistakes like they did last week when they turned the ball over five times in a 20-13 win over Northern Illinois. WMU is minus-six in the turnover margin so far this season with three lost fumbles and five thrown interceptions to one fumble recovery and one interception. Ohio State is even in the turnover margin with eight lost (4 fumbles, 4 interceptions) and eight gained (3, 5). Last week, NIU threw two interceptions. The Buckeyes turned the first into a field goal in the first quarter to cut NIU's lead to 7-3. The second interception came late in the game with NIU trying to mount a game-tying touchdown drive.
Pass protection
It's unlikely that Jarvion Franklin and WMU's rushing attack will have much success against Ohio State's defense, which is giving up 106 yards per game on the ground, but quarterback Zach Terrell showed in the season opener that when he had time to throw he picked apart the Michigan State secondary at times. But, unlike MSU's secondary in the opener there aren't many question marks in the OSU secondary. Ohio State is giving up 119 passing yards per game, which is the fifth-best mark in the country. Ohio State has 12 sacks on the season. Linebacker Darron Lee, defensive lineman Tyquan Lewis and defensive end Sam Hubbard each have 2.5.
Find a momentum changer
With such a tall mountain to climb – the Buckeyes were favored by 31 points at last check – the Broncos need to find a way to make an unexpected play. WMU has an X-factor player in sophomore corner/kick returner Darius Phillips, who had a career-high 185 kickoff return yards in the season opener against Michigan State, including a 100-yard touchdown return. Last week against Murray State he intercepted a pass and returned it for a touchdown. The Broncos are likely to pack the box to stop OSU's run and if WMU can get some pressure on whoever is playing quarterback it could create opportunities for a defensive back like Phillips to make a big play. Anything WMU can do that Urban Meyer and Ohio State can't prepare for beforehand can only help the Broncos' chances.
David Drew's prediction: Ohio State 48, Western Michigan 13
"We played much better on offensive line. Controlled the line of scrimmage. The receivers had a very good day. Offensively, it's close. The alarming part is the underthrown deep ball, which is fixable. It's not fixable when you don't have wideouts that can stretch a field. But we do." - Urban Meyer
