The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Buckeyes take on faltering Cornhuskers
Nebraska is a storied football program that has fallen on hard times. Ohio State travels to Lincoln for a night game in which they are favored by 24 points.
Ohio StateNebraska matches two of the five programs with the most major college football wins in history, but the teams are in very different places entering Saturday night’s game at Memorial Stadium.
The ninth-ranked Buckeyes (5-1, 3-0 Big Ten) beat Nebraska by 59 points last year in Columbus and have dominated four straight opponents since their loss at home to Oklahoma. They’re bidding for a third appearance in the College Football Playoff in four years.
The Cornhuskers (3-3, 2-1) are just another team behind Wisconsin in the Big Ten West these days. They’ve lost to Northern Illinois, and Wisconsin beat them by three touchdowns. With a university administration and fan base desperate for a return to glory, third-year coach Mike Riley is under increasing pressure.
The stadium will be sold out for the 359th consecutive game since 1962, but with the Huskers 24-point underdogs, tickets were available for as little as $17 on the secondary market Thursday night.
“It’s very tradition rich, the fans are very prideful and it’s a great opportunity for us to go into a big-time atmosphere and be able to showcase our skills,” Buckeyes center Billy Price said.
Those skills have been showcased a lot recently. The Buckeyes have amassed 2,462 yards of offense the last four games, the most ever over a four-game span for the program, and have scored 54 or more points in three straight. Quarterback J.T. Barrett, who hasn’t had to play in the fourth quarter in three straight games, has thrown 16 touchdowns against one interception.
“I think J.T. and the receivers are playing very well together,” Coach Urban Meyer said. “I can’t ask for more out of them as far as working and trying to get better. We still have a long ways to go. He’s doing a very nice job.”
Devine Ozigbo has run for 100 yards in three straight games for the Huskers, but quarterback Tanner Lee has been inconsistent and prone to throwing interceptions.
“I think we’ll be fine, whoever we play,” Ohio State defensive end Nick Bosa said. “We’re good enough to handle any offensive line. I think it’s going to be more the environment, the fact that they’re at home and it’s probably the biggest game of their season, so they’ll probably give it everything they have.”
Riley said Ohio State’s run of success under Meyer — he’s 38-2 in Big Ten games in six seasons — reminds him of his time at Oregon State when Pete Carroll turned Southern California into the Pac-12’s standard-bearer.
“As one team rises like that, you take a look and you either get better or you get left in the dust,” Riley said. “SC did that when Pete went in there and changed that landscape like that, and I think it made the whole conference stronger, and I think you’re seeing that in this league.”
Some things to know: his fifth straight game. WR Bryan Reimers (ankle) and S Antonio Reed (knee) are out. S Aaron Williams (neck) is questionable.