Minnesota (4-4 overall, 1-3 Big Ten) at No. 1 Ohio State (8-0 overall, 4-0 Big Ten)
When: Saturday, 7:00 p.m. CT – Columbus, Ohio
Stadium: Ohio Stadium (104,944)
TV/Radio: ABC, KFAN 100.3
Series: Ohio State leads the series 44-7
Last Meeting: November 15, 2014; Ohio State won 31-24 at TCF Bank Stadium
Coach: Urban Meyer (4th season, 46-3)
INSIDE THE GAME
Bouncing Back
After an intensely emotional week, the Gophers fell a half-yard short against Michigan last Saturday. It was one of the most painful losses in recent memory for many fans of the Maroon and Gold. Despite the narrow loss, the Gophers are looking to bounce back against one of the nation’s top teams.
“We won’t have a letdown,” said Tracy Claeys. “I believe that. You’re not very competitive at this game if you can’t get ready to play this game. No. 1 team in the country. Going into a great stadium. They haven’t been beaten in a regular season game yet. So there’s no, no matter what happens, if something goes wrong, talk about a letdown.”
Tough Defense
The Gophers found offense success against the Wolverines on Saturday, racking up 461 yards against the Big Ten’s top defensive unit. Although the Buckeyes aren’t as statically strong as Michigan, they have the ability to shut teams down.
“They’ve got some really, really good players that we’ve got to be prepared for,” said Matt Limegrover. “We’ve got to step up to the challenge if not the same even more than we did against Michigan. Because even though statistically they’re not quite the same as Michigan, I think they play a little tougher schedule, and I don’t even want to say they’ve held their own because that’s not giving them enough credit. They’ve gotten after some people.”
Keeping it Close
Despite getting down 14-0 early in last season’s matchup, the Gophers rallied and played Ohio State tough until the very end. Minnesota lost by just seven, 31-24, and gave the Buckeyes one of their biggest tests of their national championship season. If the Gophers want to shock the world, they’ll need to play mistake-free football to keep the game close.
“They have a very small margin for error,” said Claeys. “That’s what our kids have to be prepared for. We have to make sure we play our brand of football and not make a lot of mistakes. If we do that, I think we showed a year ago that we’ll have an opportunity in the fourth quarter.”
Matchup to Watch
Ohio State’s Joey Bosa vs. Minnesota’s Jonah Pirsig: Joey Bosa was an absolute menace last season against the Gophers, notching seven tackles and 1.5 sacks. Even when the 6-foot-6, 270-pounder didn’t make a tackle, he was often disrupting Minnesota’s passing attack with pressure. Jonah Pirsig will once again be tasked with trying to slow down one of the best players in college football. Pirsig will need to fare better on Saturday or it could be a long night for Mitch Leidner and the Gophers’ offense.
STORYLINE CENTRAL
Despite being the defending champs and ranked No. 1 all season, the Buckeyes find themselves third in the initial College Football Playoff rankings. Tim May of the Columbus Dispatch has the latest from Ohio.
Kevin Stankiewicz of The Lantern has the Ohio State view of the matchup with the Gophers.
Jack Park of BuckeyeXtra has an interesting history of the series between Ohio State and Minnesota. Well, to be honest, it’s pretty depressing to look at the overall series but still provides some solid background.
Did you miss Urban Meyer’s press conference? No worries. Eric Seger of Eleven Warriors has some quick notes from the Ohio State presser.
WHO WINS?
The Gophers Win If…
They can shut down Ezekiel Elliot. The star of last season’s national championship run, Ezekiel Elliott has been stellar again this year. In just eight games, the junior has racked up 1130 yards and 13 touchdowns while averaging almost seven yards per carry. If the Gophers have any hope of pulling off the upset, it starts with stopping Elliot.
“No question, and I don’t think he gets credit for the way he blocks,” said Claeys of Elliot. “I think he’s the best blocking tailback that there is. He’s the best I’ve had to defend. So a lot of the lead plays, he does a tremendous job blocking. But we did a good job of limiting him a year ago, and I think that gave us an opportunity. It’s easier said than done, but, yeah, we need to limit how many touches he gets.”
The Buckeyes Win If…
Their pass rush can get pressure and hit Mitch Leidner when they have a chance. The Buckeyes are averaging 3.3 sacks per game, tied for third in the conference. Leidner has gotten more comfortable in the pocket, something Ohio State will look to change on Saturday.
“There was a time when he was a little skittish, and he was stepping away from his throws and wasn’t getting much on it,” said Limegrover. “He’s more confident stepping in there. Like I said, we still need to do a better job of protecting him, but overall he’s facing it pretty well and putting the ball where it needs to be put. I think that’s been a huge difference for him and for us as an offense right now.”