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Joel Klatt previews Ohio State-Nebraska matchup in Week 9
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Joel Klatt says he expects both teams to show something more when No. 4 Ohio State meets Nebraska on Saturday.
Both the Buckeyes and the Cornhuskers are coming off disappointing losses (for varying reasons). Ohio State last played in Week 7, when it took an unbeaten record on the road and lost by 1 point to Oregon. The Buckeyes have been stewing on that result since, with a bye in Week 8. Nebraska, meanwhile, lost to Indiana in Bloomington last weekend in stunning fashion. The Hoosiers routed the Huskers 56-7 despite losing quarterback Kurtis Rourke to a hand injury at halftime.
Klatt won’t be giving a pick ahead of the game — he’ll be on the call this weekend for FOX alongside Gus Johnson — but he did break down some of the things he’s looking for during his podcast this week.
“Dylan Raiola is a guy who, as a true freshman, shows you a lot of great potential but then there are moments where the floor kind of falls out from under him,” Klatt said.
Raiola has 9 touchdown passes this year with a 66.2% completion rate. But he has also been picked off 6 times. He struggled mightily in an Oct. 5 win over Rutgers at home, when he posted a 6.5 QBR. He threw the ball 44 times last week and was picked off 3 times.
But Raiola wasn’t the only issue in the loss to the Hoosiers. Nebraska’s defense never showed up. Indiana ran for 215 yards and 5 scores.
“I do think Nebraska played its worst game last week and I am expecting something much better,” Klatt said.
The issue is Nebraska will need to bounce back against a group with more talent. Ohio State’s offense has future NFL options at receiver and at running back. This will be the Buckeyes’ first game without left tackle Josh Simmons, which will be a situation to monitor. But the offense has had little trouble moving the ball all year; the Buckeyes rank fifth nationally in yards per play.
For the favorites, Klatt is looking at the other side of the ball.
“Ohio State’s defense in big games has just not been very good over the last few years,” Klatt said. “They don’t get to the quarterback and they give up far too many explosive plays. And the exact same thing happened in that loss to Oregon.”
Ohio State ranks seventh nationally in per-play efficiency, but until Oregon, it hadn’t played a single team with a functioning offense. And the Ducks averaged 7.6 yards per play. Ohio State had 17 sacks through its first 5 games and then didn’t sniff Dillon Gabriel last week.
If the Buckeyes can heat up a true freshman passer on the road, things could snowball.
“What I’m most fascinated in with this matchup is what does Jim Knowles, the defensive coordinator, do to change things up. I’m fully expecting them to change something up from a schematics perspective about the way they rush the quarterback.”
Kickoff is set for noon ET on FOX this Saturday. Ohio State is a 25-point favorite at ESPN Bet.
Derek Peterson does a bit of everything, not unlike Taysom Hill. He has covered Oklahoma, Nebraska, the Pac-12, and now delivers CFB-wide content.