How Have Other Quarterbacks Fared vs. Ohio State's Defense?

Nebraska’s freshman quarterback Dylan Raiola has struggled at times to move the ball against stellar defenses, and this week presents another significant challenge.

In order to predict how Raiola will fare against the Buckeyes’ defense, let's look at how other quarterbacks have done when facing Ohio State's defense this season.

The Buckeyes’ first opponent was Akron. There is not much to take away from a game against a team that is so inferior to the Buckeyes, but those are the only kinds of games Ohio State played for the first few weeks of the season. The Zips could not get anything going in the passing game and had to use three different quarterbacks. Those three went 18/29 for 130 yards and two interceptions with no touchdowns. Not surprisingly, Ohio State won that game 52–6.

The second game of the season against Western Michigan was not a step up in competition. The Broncos’ quarterback, Hayden Wolff, passed for 71 yards on 8/15 splits with no scores. He did manage to avoid any turnovers, but he did not provide any threat against Ohio State's pass defense.

The third game of the season was against Marshall, yet another cupcake game to open the year. The Buckeyes feasted on this inferior opponent as well, winning 49-14. The pass defense gave up only 132 yards to the Thundering Herd’s starting quarterback, Stone Earle. However, he did throw for one touchdown and also avoided any turnovers.

In the Buckeyes’ first game against a conference opponent, the pass defense looked great again against Michigan State. Ohio State won that game 38–7 and held the Spartans’ quarterback, Aidan Chiles, to 13/19 for 167 yards and one touchdown and interception. Based on what we have seen so far, this was a decent performance, but not one that was nearly enough to keep the game close.

Up next were the Iowa Hawkeyes, who are known for having next to no passing game. That remained true in this game as Ohio State won 35–7, and the Hawkeyes’ quarterback, Cade McNamara, had just 98 yards and an interception. Yet another game went by without the Buckeyes' pass defense being challenged.

Then finally against Oregon, Ohio State faced an offense that had a pulse. The Ducks’ starting quarterback, Dillon Gabriel, threw all over the Buckeyes. He went 23/34 for 341 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions. It was an incredible performance, and it earned Oregon a 32–31 upset victory over Ohio State. It also shows that it is possible to move the ball on Ohio State’s defense and its secondary in particular.

So this week, Raiola faces the biggest challenge of his career so far. Will he play more like every other quarterback who has faced Ohio State this season? Or will he look more like Gabriel did and play his best game of the season?

If Nebraska is going to have any chance to win this game, it will have to be the latter.

How Have Other Quarterbacks Fared vs. Ohio State's Defense?

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