Three keys to Ohio State Buckeyes victory against Washington Huskies

It’ll be Ohio State's first road test of the season as they travel multiple time zones to Washington to battle the undefeated Huskies who are looking to make a splash in the Big Ten.

The Huskies look promising so far this season. They are coming off a 59-24 win over Washington State, and their quarterback Demond Williams Jr. and running back Jonah Coleman have led them to the 10th best offense in the country in yards per game (536).

The Buckeyes enter this game as heavy favorites to remain undefeated, but with quarterback Julian Sayin heading on the road for the first time in his career, and it being the first time the Buckeyes will play at Washington since 2007, anything can happen.

Here are three keys for the Buckeyes to ensure their great start to the season continues.

1. Silence the crowd early

This will be Washington’s biggest home game in a very long time. The Huskies’ fanbase will be looking to make an impact right away, trying to disrupt the Buckeye’s flow.

It’s vital the Buckeyes get off to a hot start, because the longer you allow the Huskies to hang in the game, the louder the crowd will be.

Getting the ball to the people who have been in bigger situations than this before, such as Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate is a great way to get the rest of the offense settled in and adjusted to the crowd noise, while still making an impact and taking the energy away from the crowd.

You can prepare for loud crowds all you want, but until you play in a real hostile environment, you never know how an offense will react. Getting the crowd out of the game early will free up the offense to dominate the game.

2. Get Sayin comfortable

It’ll be the first time Julian Sayin starts a game on the road in his collegiate career, and it’s no easy task to have to go across the state for it.

Sayin has been off to a fantastic start to his career, completing 79% of his passes for 779 yards and eight touchdowns, compared to three interceptions.

He’s played in a bigger game than this already, defeating Texas 14-7, but he had the advantage of playing with a home crowd during it. Fans can expect Sayin to show some struggles early in the game, as all first-year quarterbacks will.

The Buckeyes should look to start the game with some rhythm passes to Smith and Tate, and bring a good mix of their three-headed running back room with CJ Donaldson, Bo Jackson and James Peoples.

There will be some growing pains, Sayin will likely miss a few throws early, but as long as can get comfortable, limit turnovers, and keep the offense moving, he should be able to find a rhythm that can set him up for the rest of the season.

3. Force Williams to beat you with his arm

Washington’s offense is built around their running game. Jonah Coleman is averaging nearly 7 yards per carry, and has already ran for 347 yards and nine touchdowns in three games. Demond Williams adds another 220 yards and two touchdowns, with Adam Mohmmed having 145 yards and two touchdowns.

The offense wants to win the trenches, and with a talented Ohio State secondary, that shouldn’t change on Saturday.

The Buckeyes front seven should be putting an emphasis on taking the run game away early, and forcing Williams to prove he can win games with his arm. Williams, a sophomore, is hitting at a 74% completion rate. He has 778 yards this season with six touchdowns and no interceptions.

Only one receiver on the team has caught more than 10 passes, Denzel Boston who has 16 catches for 249 yards and 3 touchdowns.

Williams has been sacked six times already this season. If Arvell Reese, Caden Curry and the rest of Ohio State’s front seven can neutralize then run and put some pressure on Williams, the defense could be in for another big day.