UAB vs. Ohio State: Complete Game Preview

The No. 16 Ohio State Buckeyes (3-0) will face their second Conference USA opponent of the year when they host the UAB Blazers (0-2) this Saturday in Columbus.

The game will be the last in a four-game homestand to open the 2012 football season as the Buckeyes open conference play next week against Michigan State in East Lansing.

Ohio State will be looking to close out non-conference play undefeated for the first time since 2007 (due to the vacating of wins from the 2010 season).

This complete game preview provides all the details for Ohio State’s upcoming matchup with UAB.

Game Day Information

Who:

UAB at Ohio State

When:

Saturday, 12:00 p.m. (ET)

Where:

Columbus, Ohio

Stadium:

Ohio Stadium (102,329)

TV:

Big Ten Network

Radio:  

Ohio: Akron - 1590 AM | Cincinnati - 1480 AM | Cleveland - 850 AM | Columbus - 1460 AM | Columbus - 97.1 FM | Toledo - 1470 AM | Youngstown - 1390 AM"

Alabama: 107.7 FM

Depth Chart for Ohio State

Quarterback:
Braxton Miller  |  Kenny Guiton

Running Back:
Jordan Hall  |  Bri'onte Dunn

Fullback:
Zach Boren  |  Adam Homan

Wide Receiver (H):
Jake Stoneburner  |  Chris Fields

Wide Receiver (X):
Devin Smith  |  Michael Thomas

Wide Receiver (Z):
Corey Brown  |  Evan Spencer

Left Tackle:
Jack Mewhort  | Darryl Baldwin

Left Guard:
Andrew Norwell  |  Antonio Underwood

Center:
Corey Linsley  |  Jacoby Boren

Right Guard:
Marcus Hall  |  Chase Farris

Right Tackle:
Reid Fragel  |  Taylor Decker

Tight End:
Nick Vannett OR 86 Jeff Heuerman

Defensive End (LEO):
John Simon  |  Steve Miller OR Noah Spence

Nose Tackle:
Garrett Goebel  |  Joel Hale

Defensive Tackle:
Johnathan Hankins  |  Adolphus Washington OR Tommy Schutt

Defensive End:
J.T. Moore  |  Nathan Williams  

Outside Linebacker:
Ryan Shazier  |  Conner Crowell

Middle Linebacker:
Curtis Grant  |  Storm Klein

Outside Linebacker:
Etienne Sabino  |  Joshua Perry

Cornerback:
Bradley Roby  |  Doran Grant

Safety:
Christian Bryant  |  Orhian Johnson

Safety:
C.J. Barnett  |  Corey Brown

Cornerback:
Travis Howard  |  Adam Griffin

Kicker:
Drew Basil  |  Kyle Clinton

Punter:
Ben Buchanan  |  Drew Basil

Punt Returner:
Corey Brown  |  Devin Smith

Kick Returner:
Corey Brown  |  Bri’onte Dunn 

Depth Chart for UAB

Quarterback:
Jonathan Perry  |  Austin Brown

Running Back:
Greg Franklin  |  Darrin Reaves 

Fullback:
Sam Accursio  |  Grant Davis

Wide Receiver (X):
Nick Adams  |  Stephen Herring

Wide Receiver (W):
Jackie Williams  |  Jay Davis

Wide Receiver (Z):
Patrick Hearn  |  Jamarcus Nelson

Offensive Tackle:
Chris Hubbard  |   Hisham Haqq 

Offensive Guard:
Brian O’Leary  |  Billy Autrey

Center:
John Hix  |  Dominic Sylvester

Offensive Guard:
Cody Payne  |  Cameron Blankenship

Offensive Tackle:
Kaycee Ike  |  Aaron Green

Tight End:
Kennard Backman  |  Sam Accursio

Defensive End:
Diaheem Watkins  |  Shaquille Roberson

Defensive Tackle:
Connor Boyett  |  Jontavius Morris

Defensive Tackle:
Deric Scott  |  Jewel Christian

Defensive End:
Chris Walton  |  Trey Grissett 

JACK Linebacker:
Greg Irvin  |  Tevin Crews

MIKE Linebacker:
Marvin Burdette  |  Jesse Parrish

WILL Linebacker:
Patrick Bastien  |  Shaq Jones

Cornerback:
Cornelius Richards  |  Darius Powell

Safety:
Calvin Jones  |  Lamar Johnson 

Safety:
Jake Ganus  |  Cortez Webb

Cornerback:
Lamarcus Farmer  |  Devon Brown

Kicker:
Ty Long  |  Colin Anderson

Punter:
Hunter Mullins

Punt Returner:
Jackie Williams

Kick Returner:
Greg Franklin  |  Jackie Williams

What Happened to the Buckeyes Last Week?

Boosted by the late-game heroics of Braxton Miller and Devin Smith, the Buckeyes narrowly escaped Cal’s upset bid with a 35-28 victory.

Ohio State rushed out to a 20-7 lead and looked to be in complete control of the game. The tone changed in the third quarter though as the Buckeyes’ offense hit a wall. Ohio State gained only 25 total yards in the third quarter, and Cal cut the Buckeyes’ lead to six after an 81-yard touchdown run by Brendan Bigelow.

The Golden Bears claimed a 21-20 lead  with an eight-play, 46-yard touchdown drive to start the fourth quarter.

Two of Ohio State’s following drives ended with Braxton Miller touchdown passes, and despite giving up 512 yards of offense, it was enough to help Ohio State earn its third win of the season.

What Happened to the Blazers Last Week?

Following a rare early season bye week, the UAB Blazers lost to No. 8 South Carolina 49-6 last Saturday.

The Blazers kept things close in the first half. Two field goals from Ty Long had UAB down just 14-6 late in the second quarter, but a pass interference call against the Blazers spoiled what would’ve been a three-and-out by South Carolina’s offense. Two plays later, Marcus Lattimore bull rushed his way into the end zone to make it a 21-6 game.

Despite sloppy play, the Gamecocks still piled up 501 yards of offense and limited UAB to just 27 rushing yards on 42 attempts.

What It Means to Both Teams

For Ohio State: 

This game provides an opportunity for the Buckeyes to get back on track defensively.

Through three games, Ohio State ranks 66th in the country in total defense and 101st in passing defense. Opposing quarterbacks have found massive holes in the Buckeyes’ secondary, and to date, Ohio State has given up an average of 283 passing yards per game.

Even when Ohio State dialed up the pressure and sacked Cal quarterback Zach Maynard six times last Saturday, he still found a way to complete 70 percent of his passes for 280 yards.

UAB gets practically nothing from their running game, so Ohio State should expect the Blazers to throw the ball quite a bit. It will be important for the Buckeyes to show improvement defending the pass before conference play begins.

For UAB:

For the Blazers, this game provides an opportunity to build on the positives displayed last week against No. 8 South Carolina.

UAB has one of the worst rushing offenses in the country, averaging just a hair over 80 yards per game. They will likely need to throw the ball early and often to keep it competitive, and with how poorly Ohio State’s secondary has played this year, UAB could build some confidence with a good performance.

Key Player for Ohio State

Jordan Hall, RB

Ohio State shouldn’t need a Herculean effort from Braxton Miller to beat UAB, so that gives the Buckeyes an opportunity to develop a different playmaker in the running game.

Jordan Hall, who sat out the first two games while recovering from offseason surgery, saw his first action of the year last Saturday against Cal. The senior running back is supposed to fill the “Percy Harvin" role for Ohio State, and while he played admirably on Saturday, Hall couldn’t shake free for the huge plays you’d expect from him.

If Ohio State wants to build a dynamic offense that doesn’t rely so heavily on Braxton Miller, developing Jordan Hall is a must.

Key Player for UAB

Jonathan Perry, QB

UAB will need a huge game from quarterback Jonathan Perry to keep things competitive.

The Blazers struggled running the ball last week against South Carolina, averaging just .6 yards per attempt. It could be just as tough running against the Buckeyes this Saturday. That means Perry will need to throw the ball quite a bit against an Ohio State defense that has given up some huge plays through the air so far.

When Perry does throw, he’ll need to get rid of the ball quickly. UAB has four new starters on their offensive line this year, and they’ll be facing a defense coming off a six-sack performance last Saturday.

Ohio State Will Win If...

The Buckeyes will win if they show up.

The margin of error for Ohio State in this game is pretty wide. If the team can execute at even 50 percent, that should be enough for the Buckeyes to remain unbeaten.

UAB Will Win If...

The Blazers will win if all 22 starters from Ohio State’s offense and defense get food poisoning Friday night, and the Buckeyes’ second and third stringers play a turnover-riddled game. 

Prediction

Ohio State 56, UAB 10

Braxton Miller throws two touchdowns and runs for two more before Urban Meyer pulls him at the end of the third quarter.