Northwestern and Ohio State both come into Week 11 trying to stop the slide after seasons that looked much better just a few weeks ago. Each team was 6-1 not long ago, and now each has dropped two straight.
Northwestern’s skid has come against Oregon and Iowa. Ohio State’s losses have come against USC and Oregon. So while the records have bent in the same direction, the Buckeyes are the team carrying the bigger weight of expectation into this matchup.
There’s no question Ohio State looks different without Julian Sayin, but last week’s loss to Oregon didn’t fall on Luke Fahey. He went 36-of-50 for 360 yards and two touchdowns, and if the Buckeyes are going to steady themselves here, they’ll need that kind of production again. The defense, though, has to do more than it did a week ago.
That’s part of why the mood around Ohio State feels so shaky right now. When a team with National Championship expectations starts unraveling, the locker room can turn fast, and last week’s game against Oregon felt like a warning sign.
Northwestern, meanwhile, has earned real respect for what it has done this season. The Wildcats rank 20th in net adjusted EPA per play and 36th in net success rate, numbers that point to a team that has been more than just a spoiler.
With that in mind, the lean here is toward the points with Northwestern. Ohio State may be the bigger name, but the Buckeyes haven’t shown enough lately against strong opponents to inspire confidence.
In Other News...
Ohio State Finally Made A Change Fans Saw Coming
Ohio State made the kind of midseason move fans had been expecting after a string of special teams breakdowns kept showing up at the worst possible moments. Robby Discher was fired after nine games, with the Buckeyes issues on that phase of the game becoming harder to ignore as penalties and momentum-swinging mistakes piled up in recent losses.
Ryan Day said there had simply been too many detrimental plays to keep things as they were, and the staff is now reshuffling responsibilities to finish the season. Senior analyst Rob Keys will oversee special teams the rest of the way, with other coaches taking on specific units, a sign that Ohio State is trying to steady one of the most frustrating parts of its operation before it costs them again. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio States Backup Quarterback Problem Just Got More Complicated
Justyn Martins role at Ohio State has become one of those quiet depth-chart stories that can suddenly matter a lot more than anyone expected. The fifth-year senior has not played this season, but with Julian Sayin sidelined, Martin is now listed as the third-string quarterback, and Ryan Day has already made it clear he likes what he has seen from him in practice. For a team that always has to be ready at quarterback, that kind of behind-the-scenes trust can carry real weight.
Martin has kept working alongside Luke Fahey and Tavien St. Clair, staying in the mix while the Buckeyes sort through their options. He has spoken confidently about the group and noted that Sayin remains supportive during his recovery, which only adds another layer to a situation that is still unfolding. For now, Martin is waiting for a chance that has not come yet, but the fact that Day is even floating game usage suggests Ohio States backup picture is far from settled. [Read more 🡒]
Chip Kelly Is Suddenly Back In Ohio State's Offensive Picture
Chip Kellys name is back in the mix around Ohio State, and not just as a nostalgic footnote. The former Buckeyes assistant, now at Northwestern, has surfaced in conversations about offensive play-caller openings, with his past tie to the program giving the idea immediate credibility. For a staff that is always under the microscope, any movement on the offensive side tends to draw attention quickly, especially when it involves a coach with Kellys rsum and familiarity with the Ohio State environment.
The broader picture is still fluid, though, because Nebraska is also being linked to Kelly and may try to sell him on the stature of the job rather than a simple financial pitch. For Ohio State, the possibility seems tied to whether current staff changes open a path, which is why the chatter feels more like a developing subplot than a settled pursuit. Even so, the fact that Kelly is being discussed in that context says plenty about how quickly the Buckeyes offensive landscape can shift. [Read more 🡒]