Game Preview: Ohio State Needs Statement Win Against Tulsa

The Buckeyes haven't lost back-to-back games since 2013, and haven't dropped a non-Power 5 game since 1990. But just beating the Golden Hurricane may not be enough to convince fans the defense has improved.

Author:
Brendan Gulick
Updated:
Sep 17, 2021 2:52 PM EDT

There's not a lot of history between Ohio State and Tulsa, but there's an awful lot on the line Saturday afternoon with frustrated Buckeye eyes looking for dramatic improvements this week.

One-loss teams somewhat frequently make the College Football Playoff. But a second loss for the Buckeyes would be devastating and would all but certainly eliminate them from the national championship picture. Frankly, when teams like Ohio State play non-Power 5 programs (even a respectable one like Tulsa), the expectation is that the Buckeyes will dominate - and after last week's disappointing loss where the defense was repeatedly gashed on the ground, the Silver Bullets have no choice but to make that kind of statement on Saturday.

Ohio State hasn't lost many back-to-back games since the turn of the century. In fact, it hasn't happened at all since the Buckeyes dropped games to Michigan State and Clemson to close out the 2013 season. The Buckeyes also haven't lost to a non-Power 5 team since 1990 - well before anyone on the current roster was alive.

So if history is any precursor, Ohio State fans shouldn't worry too much about dropping a game to the Golden Hurricane. But the Buckeyes are certainly heightening their sense of urgency this week. When I asked Ryan Day on Thursday how he balances being patient with inexperienced players vs. expecting them to do their jobs, he was clear.

"Nobody cares whether you're young or not, that's just the way it goes here," Day said. "We can't have patience, we have to have urgency."

We'll find out just how urgent the Buckeyes are with a Tulsa team that is playing with absolutely nothing to lose.

General Info

Date: September 18, 2021
Where: Ohio Stadium (Columbus, Ohio)
Expected Weather: 85 degrees, sunny skies
Kickoff: 3:30 p.m.

Current Betting Numbers

Spread: Ohio State (-24.5)
O/U Total: 61.0
Betting: Check out the new SISportsbook!

How to Watch/Listen

Television: FS1
Streaming: fuboTV (get a 7-day free trial)
Announcers: Tim Brando (play-by-play), Spencer Tillman (analyst)

Local Radio: Ohio State Sports Network from Learfield IMG College
Flagship: WBNS 97.1 The Fan
Announcers: Paul Keels (play-by-play), Jim Lachey (analyst), Matt Andrews (sideline reporter), Skip Mosic (pregame/halftime/postgame host and producer)

Series History

Ohio State leads Tulsa, 1-0
* OSU record at home: 1-0
* OSU record on the road/neutral: 0-0

LAST TIME THEY MET

2016: Ohio State - 48, Tulsa - 3

Coaching Matchup

* Ryan Day
* At Ohio State: Third Season, Record: 24-3
* Overall: Same

* Phillip Montgomery
* At Tulsa: Seventh Season, Record 31-42
* Overall: Same

Ohio State Team Capsule

The Buckeyes return 11 of their 22 starters from the 2020 team that went unbeaten in Big Ten play, won a fourth straight conference championship and qualified for its second straight (and fourth overall) College Football Playoff appearance.

C.J. Stroud led the offense to new heights last week, throwing for 484 yards on 35-of-54 attempts. All three of those marks rank second-highest on the program's single game passing charts. Stroud certainly wasn't perfect in his first two games as a Buckeye, but the numbers indicate he's off to a great start and has some serious talent around him. The Buckeyes need to get back to running the football this week after essentially abandoning that part of their game in the second half vs. Oregon. I expect TreVeyon Henderson and Miyan Williams to run hard and be physical all game.

Ohio State is also coming off a school-record performance from their receiving corps. Until last week, never before had three players all amass 100+ receiving yards in a game. Chris Olave, Garrett Wilson and Jaxon Smith-Njigba are special talents and put on quite a show last week.

Defensively, aside from the aforementioned sloppy play, the biggest difference this week will be at safety. Josh Proctor suffered a tough right leg injury last week that will cost him the season. Ryan Day said this week the team is evaluating all options at that spot.

Cam Brown and Denzel Burke were perhaps to two bright spot last week. In his first game of the year, Brown looked very good at corner and the true freshmen Burke has played back-to-back solid games now. Sevyn Banks is healthy enough to play, but he hasn't seen the field yet.

The Rushmen will be looking for a better week from Zach Harrison, Tyreke Smith and Haskell Garrett. Freshman J.T. Tuimoloau has gotten his career off to a nice start. The Buckeye linebackers also need to show more consistent play.

Tulsa Team Capsule

Tulsa is coming off a good showing against Oklahoma State, but they fell short in knocking off the Cowboys. Despite being 0-2 on the season (and losing to FCS opponent UC-Davis), the Golden Hurricane have lost those two games by a combined seven points.

Offensively, Tulsa is led by running backs Deneric Prince and Shamari Brooks. Prince ran for 151 yards and a touchdown in the opener. Brooks is coming of ACL surgery last year, but he came into this season fifth all-time on Tulsa's school career-rushing list with 2,700 yards and 23 touchdowns. He enters Saturday's game 194 yards away from becoming a 3,000-yard career rusher.

Quarterback Davis Brin is a fourth-year junior, but a first-time starter. He's seen very limited action so far in his career.

Senior wide receiver and return specialist Keylon Stokes has also had a great career, racking up more than 4,000 all-purpose yards.

Defensively, this team is pretty solid. Through two weeks, they are in the upper 20 percent of most NCAA statistical categories. In particular, they've registered 18 tackles of loss from 13 different players. Defensive tackle Jaxon Player is perhaps their best game-wrecker.

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