Game Day: Ohio State vs. Northwestern
Kickoff: 8:30 p.m. ET, Ryan Field, Evanston, Ill.
TV: Big Ten Network (The game was moved from FS1 to BTN because of the postponement of Game 3 of the American League Championship Series.
Records: Ohio State 6-0, Northwestern 1-4.
Ohio State: Quarterback Justin Fields leads one of the nation's most prolific offenses. The Buckeyes average 49.5 points per-game, 288 rushing yards, 534 yards total offense and convert 80% of their Red Zone possessions into touchdowns. Defensively, OSU allows just 8.8 points per game, fourth best in the nation, and just 234 yards per game, which ranks second. Chase Young has 8.5 quarterback sacks and leads a defensive line that provides nearly five sacks per-game.
Northwestern: The Wildcats have not beaten a top-five team since 1961, and they’re 1-31 against Ohio State since 1972. The lone win came in overtime at Evanston in 2004, and was the first overtime game OSU ever lost. Head coach Pat Fitzgerald has not named a starting quarterback between Hunter Johnson and Aiden Smith. Smith started two weeks ago in a 13-10 loss at Nebraska, when Johnson sat out with an injured knee. Northwestern has one of the nation's worst offenses. It averages just 14.4 points per-game. Only Rutgers (11.8) and Akron (14.3) score fewer points.
Last meeting: Ohio State defeated Northwestern, 45-24, in the Big Ten Championship Game in December. OSU jumped to a 24-7 halftime lead, then watched as Northwestern closed within 24-21 early in the third quarter and 31-24 with 11 minutes left. Buckeyes quarterback Dwayne Haskins threw for 499 yards and five touchdowns.
Next for OSU: No. 6 Wisconsin, noon, Saturday, Oct. 26, Ohio Stadium.
