Barrett and Buckeyes open against Indiana; Oklahoma State look to start season on

No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes vs. Indiana Hoosiers

The Buckeyes are coming off a season in which they contended for the national championship, but were cut short by eventual national champs, the Clemson Tigers. Starting off the season against a BIG 10 foe is never easy, especially when:

Keys to the game for Ohio State:

• The Buckeyes will need to play quick and keep the ball moving against a defense which has seen them.
• Quarterback JT Barrett will have to limit mistakes and find open receivers.
• The defense will need to attack the run game and lock down veteran receivers.

Key players for the Buckeyes:

• JT Barrett, senior captain on the Buckeyes with championship experience.
• Mike Weber, running back who can open options either through the run game or split out as a receiver.
• Nick Bosa, defensive end who has a lot of versatility and size that can distract an the opposing quarterback.

PREDICTION:

Buckeyes 45 Hoosiers 14

No. 10 Oklahoma State Cowboys vs. Tulsa Golden Hurricane 

The Cowboys come into this season with the potential of walking away with the BIG 12 title, but will have to get through non-conference games such as the Golden Hurricane, who can pull off an upset if Oklahoma State takes them lightly.

Keys to the game for Oklahoma State:

• Need to come out and attack early.
• The defense needs to lock in on veteran receivers and control the pace of the game.
• Don’t let it become a shoot out.

Key Players to the game for the Cowboys:

• Senior quarterback Mason Rudolph, has had years under his belt and can pick apart secondaries.
• Jarrell Owens and Cole Walterscheid, red shirt juniors, who need to set the pace by getting to the quarterback and causing confusion in the backfield.
• James Washington can be a deep threat who could be a nightmare for the Golden Hurricanes.

PREDICTION:

Cowboys 63 Golden Hurricane 10