Buckeye fans will fill Ohio Stadium today for the final time in 2023.
Minnesota
golden gophers
Ohio State will play its last of only six home games this season at 4 p.m. when the Buckeyes host Minnesota in their penultimate game of the regular season.
While attention will quickly shift to the impending matchup with Michigan after today’s game ends, the Buckeyes have business to take care of against the Golden Gophers first as they look to improve to 11-0 on the year.
What questions could be answered inside the Shoe today, which players are we expecting big things from and what betting lines entice us most? We delve into all of that below.
Biggest Questions
Can Kyle McCord stay in rhythm?
McCord had perhaps his best performance of the season against Michigan State, going 24-of-31 for 335 yards and three touchdowns. Two of those scoring tosses came on balls that had to be placed perfectly, one in the right corner of the end zone to Marvin Harrison Jr. and another that stopped Cade Stover and allowed him to make a play on a pass up the seam while defenders were collapsing.
It’s important for next week’s showdown with Michigan that McCord continues playing his best football. Another strong outing against Minnesota should serve to further his confidence.
– Andy Anders
Can Ohio State get Emeka Egbuka going today?
Last week, I incorrectly predicted that Egbuka would have a big game against Michigan State. After Egbuka caught just one pass for 12 yards against the Spartans, the spotlight will be even more focused on whether he can get back to his usual form today.
Ohio State has plenty of weapons with Marvin Harrison Jr., TreVeyon Henderson and Cade Stover all playing at an elite level, but Egbuka could be the extra piece the Buckeyes need against Michigan’s No. 1-ranked defense next week. He likely won’t play a full game if Ohio State takes a decisive lead, as managing his workload might be the most important step toward having him healthy for The Game, but it would be good to at least see a couple of flashes of the big-play ability we haven’t seen from Egbuka since returning from his ankle injury.
– Dan Hope
Will Cade Stover drop a pass?
On Wednesday, a reporter told Cade Stover he couldn't remember the last time Stover dropped a pass. The remark invoked an expletive-filled response – of the friendly variety –from Farmer Gronk, who said the reporter could jinx him like an announcer who comments on a pitcher being one out away from a no-hitter or a perfect game. For that reason, I wonder if Stover will have a drop in Ohio State's matchup with Minnesota.
On a more serious note, after a seven-catch, 79-yard, one-touchdown performance last weekend, I am curious if Kyle McCord will look his way often against the Golden Gophers. All season long, Stover has been somewhat of a security blanket for McCord. Will that be the case on Saturday?
– Chase Brown
How does Ryan Day approach this game?
Last week, the answer was very evident. Get ahead and coast. If the Buckeyes get a substantial lead against the Gophers again, it’s a good bet you’ll see a good chunk of the starters pulled on both sides of the ball as Day wants to prevent as much wear and tear on his players as possible ahead of the Michigan contest.
– Garrick Hodge
Players to Watch
TreVeyon Henderson
Going against a run defense that allowed 353 yards to Purdue last week leaves a ripe opportunity for the Buckeyes to continue building momentum in their run game against Minnesota, and Henderson is certainly the prime candidate to break off some big plays on the ground. He scored a 70-yard touchdown in his first-ever game as a Buckeye against Minnesota in 2021, and I expect him to announce his presence again on Saturday in what will likely be his final home game as a Buckeye.
– Dan Hope
Marvin Harrison Jr.
It’s the easiest answer you could give, but as the Heisman talk continues to heat up for Ohio State’s star, it’s easy to envision Harrison having a similar performance as he did against Michigan State last week.
– Garrick Hodge
Tyleik Williams
If the Golden Gophers are to have any prayer of keeping things close with the Buckeyes, they are going to have to run the ball and win the time of possession battle in a big way. Defensive tackles are always where stopping the run starts, and Williams has been among the best in the Big Ten this season. Look for him to stuff a few runs during the afternoon’s proceedings.
– Andy Anders
Sonny Styles
Ryan Day says Ohio State needs to play its best football in November. A player that is playing his best football in November is Sonny Styles. Last weekend, the super sophomore recorded three tackles (three solo stops), one sack and one tackle for loss. With Lathan Ransom out for the remainder of the regular season, I expect Styles to be one of the Buckeyes' best defensive performers over the next two weeks. That starts Saturday against Minnesota.
– Chase Brown
Best Bets
Ohio State to cover the first-half spread (-14.5, FanDuel)
I think Ohio State will cover the 27.5-point spread for the full game, too, but I’d feel much more comfortable betting on the first-half line. Like last week, I expect the Buckeyes to dominate the first half with an eye toward getting its starters out of the game early in the second half.
– Dan Hope
Marvin Harrison Jr. to have 100-plus receiving yards (-150, DraftKings)
Considering Harrison has topped 100 receiving yards in seven games already this season, this just feels like free money.
– Garrick Hodge
Athan Kaliakmanis under 0.5 passing touchdowns (+100, DraftKings)
The matchup of Minnesota’s passing offense with Ohio State’s passing defense is one of the biggest advantages among many for the Buckeyes against the Golden Gophers. Ohio State possesses the No. 2 passing defense in college football while Minnesota is 125th in passing offense.
Kaliakmanis has 13 touchdowns on the season but has failed to record one in four of his 10 games on the year. I don’t see Minnesota scoring a touchdown at all in this game, let alone through the air.
– Andy Anders
TreVeyon Henderson over 9.5 receiving yards (-110, Bet365)
Bet365 is not one of the mainstream sportsbooks, at least in my opinion. However, when I saw that Henderson's receiving yards total was set at O/U 9.5 yards for Saturday, I considered downloading the app just to place down some cash. Henderson has 11 receptions for 139 yards in his last three appearances for Ohio State. That's around four catches for 45 yards a game. I like his odds to go over 10 yards in this one.
– Chase Brown
