Ohio State is where they want to be at the season’s halfway point: 6-0, a solid elite, now among the clear top 2 teams in the nation.

But the first half of the season was really just getting into position for the second half. With the Buckeyes coming off an off week, we’ll look ahead at the back half of the Ohio State schedule, and give you a point of possible concern … and why Ohio State won’t truly have trouble anyway.

Iowa (Oct. 22, home)

Why to be concerned: The Hawkeyes are all about defense. Their 9.8 points per game allowed is pretty daunting — they gave up just 9 to Illinois and 27 to Michigan. They’ve allowed just 3 passing touchdowns and forced 6 interceptions in the first half of the season, and linebacker Jack Campbell (63 tackles on the season) is a handful.

Why not to be concerned: The Hawkeyes have no offense. They’re dead last in the Big Ten in scoring and yardage for a reason. Unless their defense pitches a shutout, it probably won’t mean much given the worst offense in FBS football (131st of 131 in yardage, with 238.8 yards per game).

Penn State (Oct. 29, away)

Why to be concerned: The Nittany Lions have an interesting old school kind of vibe. They don’t do anything exceptionally well, but they’re competent in all phases, and are the kind of team that could cash in on a bad day full of mistakes, particularly on their home field.

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Why not to be concerned: If there WAS one thing Penn State was good at, it was run defense. They were 2nd in the Big Ten in that category heading into this week. But then, they allowed 418 rushing yards to Michigan on Saturday. Yes, they had allowed 399 rushing yards ALL SEASON heading into this week. But a defense that not only can’t stop the run, but gets lit up like a Christmas tree won’t outlast OSU.

Northwestern (Nov. 5, away)

Why to be concerned: Pat Fitzgerald is the dean of Big Ten coaches in his 17th year at Northwestern. Hopefully that counts for something.

Why not to be concerned: Otherwise, Northwestern is awful. They’re 1-5, with a 5-game losing streak. They lost to Southern Illinois and Miami of Ohio. Playing on an ancient field in a small stadium is not going to intimidate Ohio State. Only the most severe of focus errors from the Buckeyes could make this game competitive.

Indiana (Nov. 12, home)

Why to be concerned: Missouri transfer Connor Bazelak is a crafty veteran QB who gives the Hoosiers some solidity. He’s thrown over 1,000 collegiate passes, and has 1,889 passing yards this season with a dozen touchdowns.

Why not to be concerned: The Hoosiers have zero ground game to go with Bazelak. Indiana is barely ahead of Iowa for the worst rushing attack in the conference, averaging just 83 yards per game and less than 3 yards per carry. It’s hard to imagine a single-threat team taking down Ohio State — and if one does, it’ll take more firepower than Bazelak can provide.

Maryland (Nov. 19, away)

Why to be concerned: The answer would be Taulia Tagovailoa. A dangerous athlete as a passer and a runner, Tagovailoa is why the Terps are 5-2. Unfortunately, late in the Indiana game, he took a massive shot and is likely finished for the 2022 season. Backup QB Billy Edwards Jr. led the game-winning drive, but it’s hard to say what his impact is or will be longer term.

Why not to be concerned: The Terps are a .500 team in Big Ten play and probably lost their best player for the season. Ohio State has yet to lose to Maryland; only the 2018 shootout (52-51) has been a non-blowout. It’s hard to imagine Tagovailoa playing again this year for Maryland, and it’s hard to imagine a Tagovailoa-less Maryland team scoring a ton of points on OSU.

Michigan (Nov. 26, home)

Why to be concerned: 2021 and this Saturday. When Michigan is right, their power rushing game is almost as unrivaled as the Ohio State passing attack. The last 2 teams to beat Ohio State did so by being good enough on the ground to carry the day, and passing enough to keep the Buckeyes honest. That’s very much the way Michigan is playing this season — and they’re doing it very well.

Why not to be concerned: Michigan is an imposing team if they’re playing from ahead. A season ago, they were fortunate enough to do that. But in the Horseshoe, it’s hard to imagine Ohio State not delivering a solid body blow at some point. This is a Michigan team that barely outlasted Maryland. When — not if — Ohio State hits some big plays, Michigan will be in a new world. If the Wolverines can play from ahead, this gets tough. If they fall behind, Ohio State will probably have a nice day.