Ohio State’s lack of experience was the big question for this season, but plenty of underclassmen have impressed in the first two games.
Advertisement
At receiver, the Sooners lost their leading receiver from 2015 as Sterling Shepard was selected in the NFL Draft by the New York Giants.
The Sooners’ non-conference schedule is brutal in 2016. Oklahoma is still probably the most talented team in the Big 12. “We’ve been put in way worse situations than that, though, and we know how to go out and respond to those type of scenarios”, Wilson told The Fan after the game. “The other side of that is they got to see how you want to play it, so they get to make their adjustments as well”.
Trend: Oklahoma is 7-3 ATS in its last 10 games in September.
The Buckeyes’ offense is loaded with athletic playmakers, but here are the top three players the Sooners’ defense will have to worry most about. As far as the “light them up” statement is concerned, it was just a case of Kendall having confidence in his quarterback (and himself), but he definitely could’ve done a better job choosing his words.
Gear up for the big game in the company of fellow Buckeyes, the Ohio State Marching Band, Brutus and the cheerleaders at this pep rally style event prior to the Ohio State vs. Oklahoma football game.
Evans, Samia, center Jonathan Alvarez, left tackle Cody Ford and left tackle Orlando Brown only played – as a group – in the first half. They have seven picks in the first two games, something that hasn’t happened at Ohio State in 35 years. “If we ideal the schemes, we can come out with the win at Oklahoma”.
It was the day the Sooners stormed back to number one.
One of the things OSU’s coach have done to acclimate its young talent to a big-game atmosphere is to show them tapes of the 2014 national championship game against OR, senior center Pat Elflein said.
Point spread: Ohio State is favored by 2 points, according to scores and odds.
On the offens Oklahoma averages 308.2 yards in passing and 222.1 yards in rushing.
The now No. 14 Sooners will host the now No. 3 Buckeyes, rather than the third ranked team hosting the sixth ranked team like it would’ve been.
Some of Ohio State’s more experienced players say they’ll be trying to give the young guys some instruction on how to approach their first big test away from the friendly confines of Ohio Stadium. The offensive line featured one new starter and two changing positions.
“We had the tone set up front early”, Mayfield said.
Advertisement
Although both are capable of making plays with their legs, Mayfield will take his scrambling to extremes, even if it means backpedaling all the way across the border into Wichita Falls. Safety Malik Hooker leads the FBS with three interceptions, including an wonderful leap, tip and grab against Bowling Green that led the highlight reels. “Speed, route running, just finding myself in space and obviously getting chemistry with Baker [Mayfield] is huge, so he knows where I’m at on the field at all times”. He already has five catches in two games this season, as the Sooners will call designed flare routes to him or get him the ball as a check down read in the pass game.
