Ohio State's defense dominated UCLA on Saturday. And it could be a sign of what's to come on Nov. 29.
Why Saturday’s win proved once again that Ohio State’s defense has an edge over Michigan and its quarterbackWith the news that UCLA quarterback Nico Iamaleava would miss the game due to a concussion, the Buckeyes’ defense never was going to face a major challenge -- or at least, the kind of pressure a running quarterback like him could put on a defense.
How Ohio State football handled an ongoing and important position battle vs. UCLA Ohio State is fighting an important battle against UCLA that has nothing to do with its opponent: Stephen Means’ Halftime ThoughtsBruins quarterback Luke Duncan got the start instead, and had just 21 yards passing at halftime. He ended the game 16 of 23 for 154 yards and a score. It wouldn’t be fair to criticize him for anything negative that happened on the field, considering it was his first career college start against the best defense in the sport. But considering what’s coming down the line for Ohio State in two weeks, Saturday’s 48-10 win over UCLA could prove important and telling for how that game in Ann Arbor could play out. Michigan true freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood has completed just 60.9% of his passes this season and has 1,671 yards through the air with seven touchdowns and three interceptions. While the former five-star quarterback certainly has all the potential, it hasn’t translated to a consistent level yet. Unlucky for him, Ohio State has dominated most quarterbacks it has faced this season. Especially younger quarterbacks. Defensive coordinator Matt Patrica and Ohio State’s defense, which has 10 of 11 starters who are draft eligible, will get a chance once again to flummox a young quarterback. It happened early in the season when Texas quarterback Arch Manning made his first start as the full-time starter. He went 17 of 30 for 170 yards with a touchdown and an interception. It was one of his worst games of the season. “Their ability to disguise coverages in the first half was at an elite level -- I wouldn’t say a good level, an elite level,” Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said after the Buckeyes’ 14-7 win in August. “That starts with, they’ve got Caleb Downs. He’s very savvy, he’s very smart. They’re able to hold coverages ... the variations of cover two against us, they minimized the explosive plays.” It happened about a month later when Minnesota quarterback Drake Lindsey threw for just 94 yards. It was his fifth career start, and the fewest number of yards he’s thrown for this season. Put together, it’s clear that defensive coordinator Matt Patricia has his unit humming along whenever it plays a clearly overmatched and out-talented offense. Will Michigan present a challenge that Ohio State will have not have seen for a few weeks? Undoubtedly. The Wolverines proved last year that, even with an anemic offensive effort, it’s possible to win The Game. But the way Ohio State’s offense has played this season, there shouldn’t be a repeat of the 10-point performance a season ago. And if the Buckeyes are able to dial some unique pressures and coverages against Underwood in two weeks, it might look something like what transpired on Saturday night against UCLA.Andrew Gillis covers Ohio State football and recruiting for Cleveland.com. He provides updates on Ohio State football as a whole, its prospects and the Buckeyes each week. He previously covered the Bengals for...If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation.and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our
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