Ohio State Football: Highlighting Biggest Games on 2013 Slate

Urban Meyer’s Ohio State Buckeyes rolled through the 2012 regular season with the dominance one would expect from one of the most prestigious football programs in the country led by one of the best head coaches in all of football.

And while the 12-0 Buckeyes watched on as the college football bowl season played out without them, they could take plenty away from a season that saw Ohio State steamroll the Big Ten and set the tone for a 2013 campaign that could be even better.

With another tremendous recruiting class in tow, the Buckeyes enter the season as the prohibitive favorites to secure the Big Ten title and a chance at national championship glory, but there are some big challenges that lie ahead—perhaps none bigger than the annual end-of-season rivalry game that is among the best in all of sports.

Ohio State has the talent, coaching and winning pedigree to go the distance this season. It will have to get past these three teams to do so, however.

3. at Northwestern: October 5 (8 p.m. ET)

Northwestern isn’t typically a team synonymous with winning in the Big Ten, but this year will be different. On the heels of a 10-win season and a victory in the TaxSlayer.com Gator Bowl, the Wildcats proved they can’t be overlooked.

The October 5 matchup will be the fifth game of the season for the Wildcats and the sixth for the Buckeyes. But no matter how the opening portion of the season plays out, there’s a good chance this game has a substantial impact on the pursuit of the Big Ten title.  

Northwestern Wildcats 2012 Stats

Passing Yards	169.1
Rushing Yards	225.5
Points Per Game	31.7
Opponent Points Per Game	22.5
Opponent Yards Per Game	378.2

While the two programs haven’t squared off since 2008 (a 45-10 Ohio State blowout victory), Northwestern will be prepared for the class of the Big Ten. Head coach Pat Fitzgerald has done a remarkable job turning around a program that was once all too accustomed to those types of losses.

With a dangerous rushing attack that tallied nearly 3,000 yards last season, Northwestern will look to take it to the Buckeyes on the ground early and often—as is often the case when the Big Ten is concerned.

Talk about a tone-setter for the conference schedule.

2. vs. Wisconsin: September 28 (8 p.m. ET)

The Badgers are in flux with the arrival of new head coach Gary Andersen, but that doesn’t mean they won’t be a dangerous team to face in the 2013 season.

Fortunately for the Buckeyes, they won’t have to travel to Camp Randall for a dreaded night game. Unfortunately for the Buckeyes, Wisconsin will be their first Big Ten opponent after a relatively easy nonconference schedule that shouldn’t be too much of a challenge.

If Ohio State isn’t tested in those first four contests, this could prove to be a trap game of epic proportions.

Despite a passing offense that ranked 115th in the nation last season, the Badgers managed to score nearly 30 points per game, holding opponents to just 19.1 (good for 17th in the country). While much of that offensive production can be credited to recently drafted running back Montee Ball, Wisconsin has the pieces to replace much of that output in 2013.

Like Northwestern, Wisconsin will likely look to take it to Ohio State’s defense with a persistent ground game and test the Buckeyes' defensive front from start to finish.

1. at Michigan: November 30 (time TBD)

It doesn’t take a fan of either team to understand the importance of the Ohio State-Michigan rivalry.

Always the last game on the slate, Ohio State’s contest with Michigan has yielded some tremendous football in the history of the rivalry, and the resurgence of Brady Hoke’s program only stands to magnify the game’s importance in the coming years.

As it was meant to be, Ohio State and Michigan are on the rise with a singular goal of earning a victory in the final week of the season and securing the Big Ten title.

In 2011, the Wolverines ended their drought against the Buckeyes with a 40-34 victory in Ann Arbor. The Buckeyes countered with a tough 26-21 win in 2012, and if recent history is any indication, this year’s rivalry game should yield a similar sense of parity.  

But beyond the rivalry, this game could also have BCS implications. Michigan brought in one of the best recruiting classes in the country this offseason and already has a strong foundation on which to build. There’s reason to believe whichever team wins this game could be in line for a Big Ten title and a national championship bid.