B1G Supremacy On The Line Saturday In Columbus

Now it gets real.

There's an old saying about November is when you separate the contenders from the pretenders, but this B1G battle is happening a week early, with the winner getting a big leg up in the race to the East Division title and a berth in the College Football Playoff. 

Second-ranked Penn State, fresh off of a 42-14 demolition of Michigan, comes in to Columbus to take on No. 6 Ohio State, which had the week off. This is the first time both teams have been ranked in the top 10 since 2008, when No. 3 Penn State topped No. 10 OSU 13-6 in Columbus. The game kicks off at 3:30 in Ohio Stadium, where the Buckeyes have lost just once in Big Ten play under Urban Meyer.

Penn State RB Saquon Barkley has the attention of Ohio State's defense (Sports Illustrated)

The Nittany Lions upended No. 2 OSU last year in Happy Valley, blocking a punt and a field goal, the latter being returned for the game-winning score in a 24-21 victory. That really got things going for Penn State, which won out and ended up winning the Big Ten and going right down to the wire against USC in the Rose Bowl before falling 52-49.

"I don't think there's any doubt when you find a way as an organization to beat the No. 2 team in the country, I don't care where you're at in your program's development, things like that, those wins have a big impact from a lot of different perspectives," Penn State coach James Franklin said.

Meyer remembers last year's game very well, and while he stopped short of saying that it is a driving force in OSU practices this week, it can be used to good effect at times.
 

"Sure. Revenge is a motivator, hell yeah it is. I'm not saying this will be it," he said. "But there's times where we've used it and looked silly using it. There's other times it's worked. It's about execution of a game plan more than anything else."

Both teams enter the game with impressive stats, Heisman candidates and admiration from the other side. 

Penn State leads the country in scoring defense (9.6 points per game) and pass defense (94.02 opposing passer rating, nine interceptions), while the Buckeyes are first in scoring offense (47.3) and fourth in passing (171.3 rating).

All eyes will be on Nittany Lions running back Saquon Barkley, the Heisman leader at the turn, and though he has never scored a touchdown in two games against the Buckeyes, he has averaged over eight yards per carry. Barkley has 12 touchdowns for the season, in nearly every fashion imaginable -- rushing, receiving and returning. He will be first, second and third in any game-planning the Buckeyes do.

"He's the best all-purpose guy we've faced in probably, maybe my career," Meyer said. "He's obviously a great running back. But they do a good job using him and creating matchup issues. You have different ways to bottle up great running backs, but this guy, it's hard. The fact they motion him out and create matchup nightmares, that's what makes this guy -- he's as good an all-purpose running back we've seen. And that's 30 years." 

OSU quarterback J.T. Barrett has rebounded from a slow start, and now ranks fourth in the country in passer rating. His decision making has been off the charts, tossing just one interception to 21 touchdowns.

Franklin knows that his pass defense, led by shutdown corner Grant Haley and safety Marcus Allen, will be tested by OSU's passing attack.

Ohio State QB J.T. Barrett is one of the top dual threats in the nation

"J.T. Barrett has been playing at Ohio State for … I think this is his 16th year maybe going on 17,” Franklin joked. "He's one of the most successful quarterbacks in school history, if not the most. He's one of the most successful quarterbacks in Big Ten history and nationally. I mean you got to just completely respect everything that that guy's been able to do in his career and everything I know about him and have heard about him, he's a class act. So that's going to be a challenge for us because he can beat you with his legs, he can beat you with his arm, he can beat you with his mind."

Both defenses love to pin back their ears and make plays in the opposing backfield. Penn State is fourth in the country in sacks, Ohio State is fifth in tackles for loss. Buckeyes sophomore Nick Bosa has been a real force, recording 10 tackles for loss and four sacks despite averaging just 34 snaps per contest.

Penn State has been humming offensively for much of the season, but the Buckeyes have just started to find their footing in the last month. Some will say OSU's improvement is tied to playing some of the sad sacks of the conference, and there is some truth to that. But as much as the execution has improved, so has the philosophy. No longer are the coaches attempting to fit square pegs into round holes, and the results have been proven on the field.

"We all know Kevin Wilson is a really, really good offensive coach and been successful wherever he's been and I think early in the season they were still trying to kind of find their offensive identity," Franklin said. "And they found it now and they're putting up big time points and yards on everybody and you knew it was just a matter of time because Kevin's such a good coach and they got so many good players."

The Buckeyes are coming off of a bye week, which has typically been a good thing for Meyer coached squads. Meyer teams are 21-1 following an off week, and that includes three victories over top-10 teams.

Penn State had a bye before last year's contest and won the game, so there do appear to be obvious benefits.

"There's no doubt about it," Franklin said. "You just have more time for everything. More time to recover, more time to get healthy, more time to watch film and plan. It's valuable. I think it's probably the most valuable thing we have on this earth is time and a bye week creates that."    

There are plenty of statistics that can lead fans to think one team has an edge over the other -- the home team has won 10 of the last 17 meetings, the higher ranked team is 19-3 since Penn State joined the conference in 1993. 

But numbers and stats won't determine the winner on Saturday. 

Confidence and execution and lack of fear will. Is someone willing to take a risk, to throw caution to the wind, to stamp themselves in history? 

"I know some people call it a process, some people call it whatever, and it's all true," Meyer said. "I call it a culture within a program. And culture is driven by leaders. If you have very strong leaders on the field and very strong leaders in the coaching rooms, you tend to have great performances against great teams."     

Monday Musings -- Oct. 2

 One was a coach few wanted, while the other seemed to be a very popular choice with the locals.

 Both are now suddenly feeling heat, because, in the case of one, the program has failed to reached expected heights and, in the case of the other, there have been two bad losses already this season, including one at home to a Sun Belt Conference team.

 Butch Jones and Ed Orgeron may not be linked by geography or coaching style or demeanor, but they are linked by the disdain their fanbases have for them at the moment.

Butch Jones (Rocky Top Talk)

 Jones, hired just after the end of the 2012 season to replace the failed Derek Dooley, was never really embraced by Rocky Top, as he wasn't seen as a big enough name. Now, forgive Tennessee fans for having delusions of grandeur -- the Vols ain't Alabama or USC or Ohio State or Texas, and can't just have anyone they want.

 They should, however, be able to do better than someone who came from a non-Power 5 school, as Jones did from Cincinnati. They got "no" responses from Mike Gundy, Larry Fedora, Charlie Strong and Jon Gruden, and reportedly looked into Butch Davis, Jim Mora, Kirby Smart, Bobby Petrino -- and the guy they fired because they felt he didn't win enough, Phil Fulmer. He only took Tennessee to a national title, and was consistently among the best in the SEC. But fans are a fickle bunch, and they must have grown tired of double digit wins.

 Tennessee got Jones, despite protestations from Peyton Manning, who attempted to lure him to Colorado despite being a Tennessee alum. Jones went 9-4 the last two seasons, calling them two of the "best seasons" in school annals -- never mind the aforementioned national championship and double digit winning campaigns. But in four seasons under Jones, Tennessee has never won the SEC East, and it won't again this year.

 Jones became upset with the media earlier last week, apparently believing the media should be a cheerleader for his program. And then his team goes out and lays a colossal egg, getting shut out by Georgia 41-0, the team's first shutout at home since 1994 and worst shutout loss since 1905.

 Jones' teams often looked unorganized, unprepared, and the coaching staff does not seem to know how to utilize its talent.

 There are huge questions at quarterback, and recruiting has slipped to the point that there are no real emerging stars at receiver. Running back John Kelly is a good one, but he can't do it by himself, even though he tries.

 The defense looked like it quit against Georgia, and if that's true then it could just be a matter of time for Jones.

 "We will dissect everything. Everything will be looked at, from A to Z. we have to work to get better.

 "Everyone should hurt. If it doesn't hurt, then that shows you are not heavily invested. if that's not motivation, then I don't know what is. There is a tradition of excellence here that we demand."

Ed Orgeron (The Advocate)

Orgeron was widely hailed as a stable, if not flashy, choice for the LSU gig after Jimbo Fisher and Tom Herman turned it down. Unlike Tennessee, LSU can -- and should -- shoot for the moon, so settling for Orgeron -- wildly likable and entertaining, but ultimately an average coach -- was a bit of a letdown.

 But at least he was one of them, a Louisiana native, so the Geaux Tigers crowd gave him a chance. He went 6-2 after taking over for Les Miles last season, but the two were against Florida and Alabama, LSU's biggest rivals. There was talk that the offense was getting an overhaul this season, and dynamic coordinator Matt Canada arrived from Pittsburgh, the only team in America to score at least 40 points in every game in 2016. Coupled with holdover defensive coordinator Dave Aranda, the Tigers were going to be something.

 They were, albeit against lesser competition, and then they weren't, absorbing a 37-7 body blow from Mississippi State before being knocked out at home by Troy, an upper level Group of Five team that is nowhere near as talented as the Tigers yet outplayed, outcoached and outhustled them on every level, leaving with a 24-21 victory. LSU is 67th in total offense and 83rd in scoring offense, and the defense is also an issue, allowing 87 points in the last three games. Very un-LSU.

 When interviewed for the job, Orgeron brought with him a binder, showing what he would do in every conceivable situation. So it was funny that he and his team looked so lost from the outset against Troy -- to the point that he didn't even know what play was being run. Third team back Nick Brossette got the opening carry, gained five yards and then fumbled.

 "I was not aware we were going to do that," Orgeron said. "I wish I could have that first play back. I wanted Darrel Williams to get the ball. Our third string back got the ball. I should have done a better job of game-planning. I think, that's not the way we ought to start the game."

 Orgeron presented himself as a CEO, who would know every aspect of the program yet would give his coaches freedom to do their jobs. So when he doesn't know what's going on, especially in this day and age of scripted offenses, that's a real red flag.

 LSU fans appear to be stuck with him, as the powers that be put in a $12 million buyout were he to somehow be fired this season. If the unthinkable happened and LSU let him go, it would be paying him, Miles and whomever it hired as the new coach.

"It's not about Troy, it's about us," Orgeron said. "Its a disappointing performance. We were outcoached and outplayed. It seems like we got outphysicaled by Troy tonight, which is not Tiger football."

 Truth be told, LSU hasn't played Tiger football for some time, and may not as long as Oregeron is around. Florida and Alabama are still on the schedule, so it might get worse before it gets better.

 This should be a lesson to fans, to be careful what you wish for -- you just might get it.
  
Barrett Becomes Top Buckeye -- So Why Do So Many Want Him Replaced?

 In all of my years covering the Ohio State football beat, one record I was sure was safe -- Art Schlichter's passing mark of 7,547 yards. The Buckeyes would never find someone to start for four years, or throw the ball enough to really challenge the mark.

 So imagine my surprise when J.T. Barrett broke it on Saturday in the Buckeyes 56-0 romp over Rutgers. He already held most of the school records, including most wins as a starter and most touchdowns responsible for, so checking all of the boxes with the yardage figure seemed only right.

 Amazing that a guy who many in Buckeye Nation believe can't play -- or, more succinctly, can't throw -- could achieve so much.

 Barrett has more wins than anyone in school annals, yet fans say he hasn't won a championship of any kind, and that he wilts in big games. Never mind that in 11 games against ranked teams, Barrett has gone 8-3, and the Buckeyes have averaged 33 points in those games. His 2014 campaign was the best in OSU history, with over 2,800 yards, 34 touchdown passes (and another 10 running) and the highest passer rating in school history (169.8).

JT Barrett (The Lantern)

Detractors point to his lackluster showing in last year's national semifinal against Clemson (a 31-0 loss) and this year's home loss to Oklahoma (31-16) as evidence Barrett can't get it done when the stakes are high. Never mind that in the Clemson loss, the Buckeyes line couldn't block anyone, and that OSU's defense was woefully prepared to stop Baker Mayfield and company this season. Sure, Barrett bares some of the blame, but it's a team effort -- the receivers have been underwhelming, the offensive line play has been spotty, and the coaching dynamic, with new coordinator Kevin Wilson, has been spotty.

 Barrett has improved the last few weeks after the offense was tweaked to feature more quick decisions and quick throws, and utilize more bubble and tunnel screens -- though detractors will say that the improvement came against Army, UNLV and Rutgers, not exactly a Murderers Row of defenses. And there is some legitimacy to that.

 But there are a couple of things to remember here -- first, OSU is not a passing team. Sure, it needs to be able to pass enough to keep defenses from stacking the box against its power running spread, but if the Buckeyes are throwing the ball more than 25 times a game consistently, it's probably not a good sign. OSU should lean on running backs J.K. Dobbins and Mike Weber, and rely on Barrett's savvy to handle the RPO Urban Meyer's offense demands.

 Which brings us to point two -- Barrett is a perfect fit for this offense. He will never be mistaken for a gunslinger, but Meyer has never had a truly prolific passer. He's always favored quarterbacks as part of the run game, with shorter passes to the perimeter that could utilize playmakers in space. He did it with Percy Harvin at Florida and with Curtis Samuel last year at OSU.

 Fans who clamor for Dwayne Haskins or Joe Burrow see the precise passing, but what they don't realize is that neither is ready to really take over an offense that is pretty complex, even though its based on simple concepts. Meyer has often cited Barrett's toughness and leadership as two reasons he loves him, and those aren't going to change anytime soon.

 You know what is changing? OSU's offense, and with it Barrett's efficiency.

 In the last three games, Barrett has moved from the 40s in ESPN's QBR metric to 17th, tops in the B1G and one of just two league quarterbacks in the top 20. Barrett has even hit a few deep balls, which was the biggest complaint from OSU fans -- who fail to realize that the Buckeyes aren't the 1970s Oakland Raiders, taking shots downfield every other throw.

 If the receivers continue to progress -- Parris Campbell is the closest thing Ohio State has to a Harvin or Samuel, and Bin Victor showed some fight and determination in going up for a 50-50 ball against Rutgers -- Barrett should continue to improve. Many say this kind of offense won't work against better defenses, and they may be right. But it has worked in the past, including in the 2014 national championship campaign, so I am giving Meyer the benefit of the doubt.

 Of course, fans won't be happy until or unless the Buckeyes knock off Penn State on Oct. 28th. I am sure that if OSU wins, but Barrett plays average or worse, fans will find a way to be upset.

 After all, going back as far as Woody Hayes, many OSU fans are more concerned with HOW the Buckeyes win rather than THAT they win.

 Barrett is a winner, and while he will never be mistaken for Schlichter in a passing sense, he does have him beaten in most important measurables.

 Should the Buckeyes run the table and win the B1G title game, it will be in the discussion for the College Football Playoff, at which point Barrett will have a chance to prove his doubters wrong.

Thanks For Playing

 While their coaches will say there is still plenty to play for, a handful of teams saw their seasons, for all intents and purposes, end on Saturday. No longer part of the chase for the College Football Playoff, these teams are more than welcome to pick up their lovely parting gifts on the way out:

Iowa -- The Hawkeyes were never serious players, though their defense is good enough to cause problems for teams that don't come to play. The offense is archaic, and there is little semblance of a passing game. But Kirk Ferentz will still get his millions -- it must be nice to not have expectations, Iowa.

Northwestern -- The Wildcats were seen by many (including the person typing these words) as a darkhorse pick to win the Big Ten West division. Um, about that ... who knew the ground game would be so poor, that the defense would regress back to 2014 and 2015 levels, and that, for one of the few times in Pat Fitzgerald's tenure, the team wouldn't play hard all the time.

Ole Miss -- You weren't really allowed to play, anyway, so we aren't going to waste a lot of space.

Vanderbilt -- Solid defense, anemic offense, and no one to open holes for Ralph Webb at running back, which is a shame because he's been one of the more unheralded backs in the land for a couple of seasons now. There just isn't enough offense in Music City for the Commodores to truly compete, though Kyle Shurmur may have a football job beyond college.

LSU -- See above. The less (Miles) said about the Tigers, the better. Florida and Alabama are still on the schedule, so at least the Bayou Bengals aren't harboring any false hopes about being any good.

Indiana -- If it was basketball, we could talk. As it is, the Hoosiers were pretty much fools gold this year

South Carolina -- The effort is there, the talent is not, at least not yet. The Gamecocks had Texas A&M on the ropes but couldn't finish the job, so now it can build for the future.

Colorado -- While last year's resurgence wasn't a complete fluke, the Buffs are still a year or so away from being a consistent contender in the Pac-12. There just isn't enough firepower in the passing game, and too many issues in the secondary.

Cal -- Another team taking positive steps forward, it's just too young to really be a factor this year. Justin Wilcox will get it going because he's an excellent coach, but the early season optimism probably was a bit much for a team that came into the year as one of the least experienced in America.

 The number of unbeatens has fallen to 17, while the winless has dwindled to seven -- though one, UTEP, saw its head coach, Sean Kugler, step down after an 0-5 start.

Oklahoma Wants Revenge As It Heads To Ohio State

J.T. Barrett will take center stage as his Ohio State Buckeyes host Oklahoma this Saturday (NewsOK)

  
 Now the real fun begins.

 After easy wins over their first opponents, Ohio State and Oklahoma face off in a top 10 contest sure to impact the College Football Playoff race. The Sooners are looking for revenge after the Buckeyes came in to Norman last year and walked out with a 45-24 victory.

 The Sooners are working on an 11-game winning streak, the nation's longest -- the last loss being against the Buckeyes.

 Oklahoma blasted UTEP 56-7 in its opener, while OSU took a bit of time to get going before pulling away from Indiana and winning 49-21. 

 The stakes may be high -- ESPN GameDay will broadcast from Columbus, and the game is a national telecast, Saturday night at 7:30 -- but Sooners quarterback Baker Mayfield wouldn't want it any other way.

 "You're either born with it or you're not," Mayfield said. "Without pressure, there's no diamonds."
  
 Buckeyes coach Urban Meyer is one of Mayfield's biggest fans, and knows that the OSU defense will have to be on high alert Saturday night. Indiana was able to throw for 410 yards against Ohio State's young secondary, and even though he's breaking in new receivers and running backs, Mayfield has enough experience to take advantage of anything he sees as a weakness.

 "What I love about Baker, he's a competitive guy," Meyer said.

 Mayfield went 19-of-20 with three touchdown passes against UTEP, his favorite target being junior tight end Mark Andrews, who finished with seven grabs and 134 yards. Given how many issues Ohio State had with the Indiana passing game, it wouldn't be surprising if Mayfield's eyes got as big as saucers when he takes the field.

 Meyer knows the challenge ahead of his young secondary.

Baker Mayfield (NewsOK)

 "We have to knock some balls down," Meyer said. "The one thing about IU, that quarterback is extremely accurate, the receivers made a bunch of great catches. But we have got to knock some more balls away."

 One way to keep Mayfield from going crazy is to dial up the pass rush. The Sooners have one of the best left tackles in the country in Orlando Brown, and he will be in charge of stopping Sam Hubbard and Nick Bosa from imposing their will. Bosa played 59 snaps against Indiana, and got better as the game progressed, so Riley knows that his linemen will need to be on point if the Sooners offense is to succeed.

 "They're definitely one of the top groups we'll see among the defensive front," Riley said. "Their depth and explosiveness is very impressive. These guys do a great job schematically. Their coaches are very good, they're very, very sound." 

 It will be almost 40 years to the day -- Sept. 24, 1977 -- that Oklahoma last came to Columbus, and to call that game memorable is doing a disservice to memorable games. Oklahoma, which had Billy Sims, Kenny King and Elvis Peacock in its backfield, took a 17-0 first quarter lead before the Buckeyes were able to gain their bearings. A Sooners field goal made it 20-0, and ABC made the decision to switch away to regional coverage.

 It was the nation's loss as OSU scored twice within a minute, the second coming on a Rod Gerald scamper, and it was suddenly 20-14 at halftime. The Buckeyes stayed hot and took a 28-20 lead into the fourth quarter, but Oklahoma trimmed it to 28-26 with a touchdown and failed two point conversion. Oklahoma recovered an onside kick, marched to the Buckeyes 23 yard line with six seconds left. Sooners kicker Uwe von Schamann split the uprights, giving his team a thrilling victory.

 While Mayfield receives most of the buzz, the Buckeyes have J.T. Barrett, and there is no one with whom Meyer would rather go into battle.

 "He's a very accurate passer," Meyer said. "I made this comment -- the accuracy of the quarterback has to do with the timing and relationship he has with the receivers. If he's expecting a receiver to come back and the receiver goes there, it may look like it's the quarterback's fault. We had some accuracy issues (last season) with J.T., but also with the receivers. It's much better now."

 The Buckeyes will have the services of sophomore running back Mike Weber, who sat out the opener with a hamstring issue. In his stead, freshman JK Dobbins ran for 181 yards on 29 carries, and showed excellent change of direction and the ability to get skinny in traffic. Meyer wasn't sure about the workload each would have, but that's a pleasant dilemma.

 The Buckeyes have lost just one non-conference home game under Urban Meyer, 35-21 to Virginia Tech in 2014.

Thursday Night Quick Look -- Ohio State at Indiana

 Unfinished business.

 Ohio State coach Urban Meyer has said that his Buckeyes were embarrassed in last year's College Football Playoff, losing 31-0 to eventual national champion Clemson, and that it wasn't going to happen again. He tweaked the coaching staff, made sure that the players knew what they had to do in the offseason and has his Buckeyes ready for another run at the CFP.

Urban Meyer (AP)

 They uncharacteristically begin the season on the road -- just the 11th time ever, though it happened in 2015 in a victory at Virginia Tech -- and against a Big Ten foe, the first time since 1976 (Michigan State, a 49-21 victory) that has occurred.

OHIO STATE
 The Buckeyes enter the game ranked second in the nation and favorites to win the Big Ten East and the conference title. To do that, they will need to be more consistent in the passing game and not have senior quarterback J.T. Barrett shoulder as much of the load as he has in previous seasons.

 Yes, the quarterback always does the heavy lifting in an Urban Meyer offense, but if Barrett leads the team in carries again this year, something went awry. New offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson comes over from Indiana -- OSU's opponent tonight -- and has an offensive philosophy that favors tempo and open space over all else. Look for the Buckeyes to utilize running backs Mike Weber and J.K. Dobbins quite a bit, sprinkle in some jet sweeps and misdirections to Parris Campbell and Demario McCall, and send receivers Austin Mack and K.J. Hill downfield. The offensive line will need to be better after allowing 28 sacks a season ago. Meyer says that bunch has improved and worked their tails off, and he is confident they will do the job.

 Defensively, the Buckeyes have as much talent as anyone, including the best and deepest defensive front in America. Sophomore Nick Bosa would start just about anywhere, but here he's just another piece of a majestic puzzle. Tyquan Lewis and his eight sacks returns at one end spot, and dynamic Sam Hubbard mans the other side. Bosa and Jalyn Holmes provide almost no drop off, and tackles Dre'Mont Jones and Tracy Sprinkle are stout inside. Linebacker Jerome Baker is an All-America candidate, and while the secondary is being rebuilt, it isn't lacking talent. Corner Denzel Ward could be the next in line for stardom, and he leads an athletic, aggressive group.

INDIANA
 The Hoosiers enter battle with question marks on offense and stability on defense, a big reversal from previous seasons. First year coach Tom Allen was elevated from defensive coordinator, and while the Hoosiers have improved on that side, he probably wishes they had a little easier opening contest.

 Richard Lagow is back under center and will need to improve his accuracy (57.8 percent) if the Hoosiers want to become a feared offense. The top two rushers are gone (Divine Redding went over 1,000 yards last year) so an inexperienced crew will tote the pigskin. Look for junior Mike Majette to get the bulk of the work. Simmie Cobbs junior is back after taking a medical redshirt last season, and he's one of the best receivers in America (1,305 yards in 2015). His battle with the Buckeyes secondary will be worth the price of admission. The offensive line is experienced but watched its sack total increase from 13 in 2015 to 29 a year ago. It will be a real task to keep the Buckeyes pass rushers out of the backfield.

 Defensively, it starts and ends with linebacker Tegray Scales. If you haven't seen the Cincinnati native play, you've really missed out. The senior All-America candidate made 126 stops in 2016, with 16.5 TFL and seven sacks. He's not bad in coverage, takes great angles to the football and seldom gets caught up in traffic. The Buckeyes will need to know where he is at all times. The secondary returns intact, led by corner Rashard Fant, who had a whopping 17 PBU a year ago. He's a tad undersized (5-10) but plays the ball extremely well, and isn't afraid to hit. IU's defensive front plays mostly to occupy gaps and funnel the play to the linebackers, though end Greg Gooch (4.5 sacks) is a dependable sort.

BY THE NUMBERS
 Ohio State has won 22 in a row against Indiana, though two of the last three were narrow wins and close heading into the fourth quarter; The Buckeyes are 18-1 on the road the last four seasons (though just 9-8 ATS as an away favorite in that span); OSU has covered four of five season openers under Meyer; OSU is 14-4 ATS in its last 18 road games in the first month of the season; Indiana is 14-1 in its last 15 home openers; The Hoosiers have covered the last six vs. the Buckeyes, all as double-digit underdogs; IU is 1-3 ATS in its last four conference contests; Indiana went 12-8-1 ATS as a home dog in six seasons under Wilson, including 5-2 when getting 14 or more points.

THE PICK
 Ohio State will be playing with a chip on its shoulder, and Wilson will want to show his old employer a thing or two. He knows how to scheme against that defense and should be able to put the Hoosiers on their heels for much of the night. While Indiana also knows Wilson's tendencies, it's questionable whether they have the players to stop the Buckeyes. In a game that's interesting until halftime, the Buckeyes athleticism and experience -- led by Barrett, who has a big showing -- helps them pull away and win comfortably.
OHIO STATE (-21) 42, INDIANA 14

QUICK PICKS
Central Florida 34, Florida International (+17) 20
Minnesota (-23.5) 40, Buffalo 12
(10) Oklahoma State 44, Tulsa (+18) 28
Utah (-21.5) 38, North Dakota 16
Arizona State 36, New Mexico State (+23.5) 21