This week’s matchup features a rested and hopefully focused Ohio State squad travelling west to Eavanston, IL to take on the Northwestern Wildcats.

Both teams are 7-2 overall, with the NU’s 2 losses coming in-conference to Michigan State and Indiana. I caught the end of the IU game and I have no idea what happened there. The Hoosiers are the worst team in the conference, IMO. Must have been an off-day for the Wildcats, but it happens to everyone. Just ask USC, who manages to lose to teams they shouldn’t every year!

Back to the game. In their preparations this week, the NU coaching staff paid particular attention to both Terrelle Pryor and James. They are looking to neutralize James, no doubt, but it will take a lot more than simply double-teaming the Lil’ Animal to take him out of the game. He also has a lot of talented defenders around him to counter NU’s blocking attack. In other words, look out, Cats!

The defense has been playing the most consistently for the Buckeyes, and I believe they will be the key to this game. Ohio State will live and die with the defense. Northwestern is down to their 3rd string RB and their starting QB is trying to get healthy enough to start.

The backup QB, who torched the Minnesota defense last week rushing for 200+ yards, will likely be inserted into the game to get more of a run game going. In the past, the thought of running/mobile QBs worried me when it came down to the OSU defense. Not anymore. No “running QB” has had success against the Buckeyes as of late. Darryl Clark, of Penn St., is the cream of that crop, and he was not able to get his usual rushing yards. The defense is used to seeing that type of QB seeing as how we have one of our own who is pretty darn good as well!

The weather is going to affect this game in a big way. It will be cold and windy with a rain/snow mix. Because of that, I’m not sure either team will having much of a passing game. It will be all about stopping the run. OSU is pretty good in that department. Also, the Cats’ defense is missing some of their top performers such as Malcolm Arrington.

Should be another good game between two ranked Big Ten squads. Here’s to another Buckeye victory!