Ohio State vs. Northwestern Big Ten Championship Game Buckeyes Wire staff predictions

For as good as the Northwestern defense has been this season, it has not faced an offense as talented as Ohio State. The Wildcats can get a little too aggressive and I think that Ryan Day and Justin Fields will be able to take advantage of this tendency. The weakness for Northwestern on defense has been against the run, and one thing we know the coaching staff has harped on is getting the running game more involved. With an extra week to prepare for the Northwestern defense, I think the Buckeyes will use the running game to open up play-action and will take over the game.

On defense, Ohio State is getting a favorable matchup as Northwestern is not a dynamic offense. Forcing Peyton Ramsey to have to throw the ball to keep pace, is a recipe for success for the Buckeyes. The defense should be able to contain the run enough to force some third and long situations, allowing the pass rush to get Ramsey, make him uncomfortable, and force his sloppy footwork to appear. This is where mistakes and miscues will allow the Buckeyes to give the ball back to their offense to pull away for a win.

Final Score: Ohio State 48, Northwestern 20