2017 NCAA Football Oklahoma at Ohio State Preview and Prediction

Ohio State (1-0) vs. Oklahoma (1-0) Game Preview

Broadcast, TV, Game Time

Date: Saturday, Sept. 7th
Game Time: 7:30 pn ET
Venue: Ohio Stadium, Columbus, OH
Network: ABC

Both teams got off to 1-0 starts and the Sooners will be looking to gain revenge from last year when the Buckeyes came into Norman and dominated the Sooners. Let’s take a look at the keys for victory for both teams?

Biggest Key to Sooners Victory

Baker Mayfield. When it comes to the Sooners, it all starts and ends with Mayfield. Maybe the biggest mismatch in this game will be the Buckeyes secondary against the Sooners. Last week against Indiana, QB Richard Lagow the Buckeyes gave up 3 TD passes and over 400 yards through the air. If they had trouble with Lagow, what will Mayfield do to them?

The key here is maybe the Sooners will have the ability to protect Mayfield. If they do the Sooners will pull the upset. The Sooners have the line to run the ball against almost any team, but the Buckeyes aren’t just any team when it comes to stopping the run. If Oklahoma wants to win this game they have to throw the ball with a high rate of success and stay away from the turnovers.

Biggest Key to a Buckeyes Victory

Do not dig yourself an early hole! The Buckeyes are a ground and pound team with a bunch of talented running backs. If they fall behind early it could be a long game for the them. You also have to take QB J.T.Barrett into account when factoring in Ohio State’s ground attack. For the Buckeyes to win the offensive line needs to be dominant and they have a dominant group.

Prediction: This looks to be a shootout with the Sooners scoring through the air and the Buckeyes running game being almost unstoppable as well. In the end, I think Mayfield will have a Heisman worthy game, but the Buckeyes ground game will wear the Sooner defense down leading to a Ohio State victory. Ohio State 34  Oklahoma 31