Big Ten play has arrived.
In less than 24 hours, Ohio State will open the conference portion of its regular season in what will also be its first road game of the season at Washington.
The game will be the second big test of the season for the Buckeyes. The Huskies enter Saturday with one of the nation’s top offenses, ranking second in the FBS with 55.7 points per game – albeit against weak competition so far – and they’ve won 22 straight games at Husky Stadium dating back to the start of the 2022 season.
That leaves plenty of questions for Ohio State to answer and plenty of intrigue surrounding how the game will play out. The Buckeyes will need their top players to perform to start conference play with a win and bring a 4-0 record back to Columbus.
With that in mind, we break down our biggest questions entering the game, pick our top players to watch and make some predictions for what we’ll see on Saturday.
Questions
Will Ohio State commit to Bo Jackson as RB1?
It became clear in Ohio State’s final two non-conference games that Jackson is the Buckeyes’ most dynamic running back, but it remains unclear whether Ryan Day and Ohio State’s coaches are ready to move the freshman to the top of the depth chart. Day said last week that the Buckeyes will keep giving Jackson more opportunities if he keeps showing he’s ready for them, but also indicated that CJ Donaldson and James Peoples both remain part of Ohio State’s running back plans.
Day highlighted ball security and pass protection as two areas that are crucial for Jackson, and how much Ohio State trusts the freshman in those areas will likely determine how much playing time he gets as the Buckeyes get back to playing an opponent of consequence. Ohio State will certainly rotate at least two running backs against Washington – I expect all of Jackson, Donaldson and Peoples to see their fair share of playing time – but how often Jackson is on the field in key situations will be telling.
– Dan Hope
Can Ohio State finish drives in the red zone?
The Buckeyes outgained Ohio 572 yards to 181, a margin that should have led to something even more lopsided than their 37-9 victory. What kept Ohio State from a higher score? It went 2-of-6 scoring touchdowns in the red zone.
It's important to remove hope from the equation as a heavy road favorite against a dangerous team with a raucous crowd behind it, as Washington has. Failure to finish drives could keep the Huskies alive. Better consistency in the run game when the field condenses will be key – Ohio State had seven carries for 15 yards inside Ohio's 20-yard line, outside of a bit of trickery on a 17-yard reverse touchdown to Jeremiah Smith – and better execution overall.
– Andy Anders
Will Jayden Fielding deliver when called upon?
Since he became Ohio State's kicker in 2023, Fielding has made 32 of his 40 field goal attempts (80%) for the Buckeyes. At the end of the 2024 regular season, most fans were ready to kick him to the curb — ba dum tss! — after he went 1-for-3 in The Game, but he responded well in the College Football Playoffs, converting 4-of-5 kicks, including a 33-yard chip shot that sealed Ohio State's win over Notre Dame in the national championship game. As the Buckeyes enter their first road test of the 2025 season, can Day rely on Fielding to put points on the board? The head coach seemed confident as of Thursday.
"We know as possessions have gone down, the importance of a field goal kicker go up. Every drive has to end with points. We don't want to end with field goals, but we want to end with points," Day said. "We have confidence in him going in there. Got to give him good protection and use special teams as an advantage."
– Chase Brown
Players to Watch
Julian Sayin
Sayin made just one game appearance on the road last season, completing three of five passes for 23 yards in late-game action at Michigan State. Now, he’ll be making his first road start in one of college football’s loudest environments.
The redshirt freshman quarterback has been spectacular in his first three games as Ohio State’s starter, completing a nation-best 78.9% of his passing attempts, but playing in a hostile environment will be a new challenge. Washington’s pass defense looks beatable, leaving the door open for a big game that could propel Sayin further into the Heisman Trophy conversation, but the most important thing will be avoiding costly mistakes as he deals with opposing crowd noise for the first time as a college quarterback.
– Dan Hope
Caden Curry
Curry has been a monster in Ohio State's three victories, collecting 14 tackles, three tackles for loss, two sacks and one pass breakup. As the Buckeyes enter Big Ten competition, I expect Curry to continue his breakout senior season, getting after a Washington offensive line that has allowed Demond Williams Jr. to be sacked six times in 91 dropbacks.
– Chase Brown
Arvell Reese
Keeping Demond Williams Jr. contained in the pocket and spying him to ensure he doesn't make big plays with his legs is a major key for Ohio State on Saturday. Reese excelled in this area against speedy Ohio quarterback Parker Navarro. Outside Caleb Downs, he's been the Buckeyes' best defender through three games. Expect another big day from him, even if that means staying disciplined rather than overwhelming offensive linemen on pass rush all the time.
– Andy Anders
Predictions
Demond Williams Jr. is held to under 220 combined rushing and passing yards
This is bold if you think about it for a moment. Williams' lowest passing yardage total is 226 this season, and his lowest rushing yardage total is 64. He's combined for at least 300 passing and rushing yards in each of Washington's games thus far. But I have faith in the speed of Ohio State's defense to keep him contained as it will be a primary focus, and I see him finishing with a very low rushing total.
With injuries to Washington's receiving corps and an excellent Ohio State secondary, plus Matt Patricia's brand of disguise, Williams is going to have trouble processing what's going on in the secondary. And his offensive line has been shoddy in pass protection dating back to last season.
– Andy Anders
Carnell Tate finds the end zone for the fourth straight game
Tacario Davis is questionable for Saturday's game, and if he’s out, Washington could be without its top cornerback against Wide Receiver U. That’s trouble. Without Davis, the Huskies will turn to Ephesians Prysock to handle Jeremiah Smith, while Leroy Bryant, Rahshawn Clark and Dylan Robinson combine to guard Carnell Tate and Brandon Inniss. That’s a tall order even for Davis, let alone three corners with only 210 combined snaps through three games. Advantage Ohio State — and a great chance for Tate to find the end zone for the fourth straight game to start 2025.
– Chase Brown
Ohio State faces first deficit of season, but takes over in second half
Ohio State has yet to trail in any game this season, but I expect that to change as the Buckeyes play their first road game of the year against the most dynamic offense they’ve faced so far.
I’m anticipating some early adversity on both sides of the ball as Sayin acclimates to playing on the road, the Buckeyes continue to work through some running and red zone issues and the defense gets tested by Washington’s playmakers. I won’t be surprised if the Huskies take a lead into halftime. In the end, though, I expect Ohio State to make the right halftime adjustments to take control of the game in the second half and ultimately win by two scores.
– Dan Hope
