Ohio State Football: Predicting the Buckeyes' 2015 Win-Loss Record
After winning the first-ever College Football Playoff National Championship, Urban Meyer has Ohio State primed to enter 2015 as the nation's top-ranked team.
The Buckeyes return a load of talent, highlighted by superstar juniors Joey Bosa and Ezekiel Elliott, in addition to a trio of championship-caliber quarterbacks.
But is Ohio State strong enough to navigate its schedule unscathed and post the second undefeated season under Meyer?
That will be a stiff challenge, because achieving perfection is very hard. Just ask Alabama—the closest thing to a dynasty in recent years—which has only finished unbeaten one time since Nick Saban took over in 2007.
The Buckeyes will have to work through a tough slate this fall, which is backloaded with three significant road blocks in November.
Here's an early week-by-week forecast for Ohio State's 2015 season.
Virginia Tech
1 of 12
Ohio State will avenge its only loss of the 2014 season in the opening week of its 2015 campaign.
Urban Meyer and the Buckeyes will kick off their schedule by hitting the road for a rare Monday night game in Blacksburg, Virginia, against Frank Beamer and Virginia Tech. It's the return game in a series that bit the Buckeyes last year, who fell to the eventual six-loss Hokies 35-21 in Ohio Stadium.
This time around, though, Cardale Jones will be under center, and he'll eclipse 300 yards passing as Ohio State uses a quick 17-0 spurt in the first half to put the Hokies in a big hole. The fast start will force the already turnover-prone Virginia Tech team into more mistakes, and Ezekiel Elliott will close things out in the second half as the Buckeyes cruise.
Ohio State 38, Virginia Tech 17
Hawaii
2 of 12
It wasn't too long ago when Hawaii was competing for BCS bowl bids. An undefeated regular season in 2007 set the Rainbow Warriors against Georgia in the Sugar Bowl—a game they lost 41-10—and they haven't been the same since.
Hawaii has only produced one winning campaign since that exciting '07 run, and it reached new depths the last two seasons, losing 21 of its 25 games since the start of 2013.
The Buckeyes will only have five days to prepare when the Rainbow Warriors visit the 'Shoe on September 12, but that'll be plenty of time as they dominate in their home opener.
Joey Bosa will notch three sacks of Hawaii quarterback Ikaika Woolsey, helping limit Hawaii to 225 total yards of offense. All three Ohio State quarterbacks will throw for a touchdown, and Ezekiel Elliott will run for two scores in an easy 50-point victory.
Ohio State 63, Hawaii 13
Northern Illinois
3 of 12
It's a MAC school, sure, but Northern Illinois will come to the 'Shoe ready for a fight September 19.
The Huskies are coming off of a surprising 11-win season, and they return a solid core for another strong run in 2015. Quarterback Drew Hare is no Jordan Lynch, who led Northern Illinois to a 12-0 start in 2013, but he's a smart signal-caller who came into his own as the '14 season wore on.
Hare will get the Huskies on the board first, orchestrating a nice 10-play scoring drive to open the game. The Buckeyes will find their bearings by the end of the first quarter, and Cardale Jones will toss three first-half touchdowns to build a comfortable lead.
Ohio State 52, Northern Illinois 20
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Western Michigan
4 of 12
Ohio State's second MAC opponent won't have as much success in the 'Shoe.
The Broncos won't have the horses to keep pace with the Buckeyes, who will be gearing up for league play with this tuneup nonconference finale.
Western Michigan boasts an efficient offense that thrives in the MAC, but the Broncos will struggle to get anything going against the Buckeyes, who will be finding their groove defensively. The Buckeyes will force four turnovers, one of which will be an interception that Eli Apple returns for a touchdown.
Most of the key offensive starters will be resting by the start of the third quarter, opening up opportunities for players in the two-deep rotation. Curtis Samuel will have a huge second half, scoring three touchdowns as Ohio State wins big.
Ohio State 70, Western Michigan 9
Indiana
5 of 12
With the exception of 2013—when Ohio State blasted Indiana in a 42-14 rout—the Hoosiers have given Urban Meyer's Buckeyes a tough fight.
In 2012, Ohio State traveled to Bloomington, Indiana, and outlasted the Hoosiers in a 52-49 shootout. Last season, running back Tevin Coleman rushed for 228 yards and three touchdowns as the Hoosiers took a 20-14 lead midway through the third quarter. Four consecutive touchdowns from Jalin Marshall sparked a Buckeyes rally, though, and Ohio State went on to win 42-27.
This year, Coleman and dynamic playmaker Shane Wynn will be suiting up in the NFL, and the Hoosiers will miss them greatly. While head coach Kevin Wilson will have his offense clicking coming into the game, his Hoosiers will only manage 20 points in a big loss to the Buckeyes at home.
Ohio State 56, Indiana 20
Maryland
6 of 12
The letdown game is nearly unavoidable for every team in the country, and for Ohio State, that will come at home in Week 6 against Maryland.
The recently announced homecoming game will have a noon kickoff, and the Buckeyes will come out sluggish, turning the ball over twice in the first quarter. With no early-season bye week and a prime-time matchup with Penn State looming in Week 7, Urban Meyer will need to whip his team into focus after the Terrapins build a 10-3 lead early in the second quarter.
The Buckeyes will turn to the run game to get going. Ezekiel Elliott will eclipse 200 yards for the first time of the season, and Cardale Jones will plow through the Maryland defense for two goal-line scores to clinch the game in the fourth quarter.
Ohio State 38, Maryland 17
Penn State
7 of 12
The highly anticipated matchup between Ohio State and Penn State following last year's thrilling double-overtime affair will take place in Ohio Stadium, but this year's game won't be as close.
It won't be a blowout like the last time the Nittany Lions invaded Columbus in 2013, when the Buckeyes flexed their muscle in a historic 63-14 beatdown. But Ohio State will control things from the start under the lights in the 'Shoe, scoring the game's first 20 points before Penn State's offense manages to put a scoring drive together.
A pair of third-quarter touchdown runs from Ezekiel Elliott will put the Buckeyes up 34-14, and Urban Meyer will bleed the clock with the run game to close things out. Christian Hackenberg will toss a 40-yard touchdown in the closing minutes of the fourth quarter to make the score more respectable, but Ohio State will control things from the start.
Ohio State 34, Penn State 21
Rutgers
8 of 12
Ohio State will make its first-ever trip to Rutgers on October 24 for its second consecutive night game, and just like last year's game, the Buckeyes will dominate.
Ohio State controlled things in Columbus in 2014 using balance on offense, and they'll use the same approach on the road this fall. Ezekiel Elliott, who rushed for just 69 yards on 12 carries in last year's meeting, will triple his yardage with his second 200-yard rushing performance of the season. He'll also notch four touchdowns, boosting his Heisman Trophy campaign, and Cardale Jones will throw for 250 yards and a touchdown in the easy win.
Ohio State 48, Rutgers 14
Minnesota
9 of 12
Even after Ohio State ran through Alabama and Oregon to win last year's College Football Playoff, Minnesota linebacker De'Vondre Campbell didn't think the Buckeyes were the best team in the country.
That distinction, in Campbell's eyes, belonged to TCU, who routed Minnesota 30-7 in Week 3 last season. Nine weeks later, the Buckeyes had to fight until the end for a 31-24 victory in Minneapolis, and that served as the foundation for Campbell's argument.
On November 7, when the Gophers hit the road for a matchup with the Buckeyes, they'll leave the 'Shoe with a different opinion.
Ohio State will be well rested coming off of its only bye week of the season. Joey Bosa will be an absolute nightmare coming off the edge, notching two sacks and forcing two fumbles as the Gophers' depleted offense (no Maxx Williams or David Cobb) struggles all day. Minnesota's defense will make Ohio State earn everything it gets, but the Buckeyes will grind their way to 41 points, mainly riding Ezekiel Elliott in the frigid Columbus conditions.
Ohio State 41, Minnesota 16
Illinois
10 of 12
This will be the "Jalin Marshall game."
Last year, that came against Indiana, when Marshall scored four second-half touchdowns in a closer-than-expected 42-27 victory. Marshall will get three touchdowns against Illinois on the road (two receiving, one rushing) while registering 160 total yards of offense in a dominant Buckeyes victory.
Tim Beckman, whose hot seat will reach scorching levels by this Week 11 matchup, will be helpless as Ohio State dominates every phase of the game. The Illini will only register 275 yards of total offense while turning the ball over four times. The Buckeyes, however, will get what they want offensively, running for 300 yards and getting 325 combined passing yards from the trio of talented quarterbacks.
Ohio State 59, Illinois 10
Michigan State
11 of 12
Both Ohio State and Michigan State will enter this Week 12 matchup with undefeated records.
Thanks to an irreplaceable home-field advantage, the Buckeyes will be the ones who maintain their perfection.
They'll get the Spartans' best shot, though. Connor Cook will have his Michigan State offense ready to play, and he'll throw two first-half touchdowns to help build a 20-17 halftime lead.
The Buckeyes will come out of the locker room inspired after the break. Cardale Jones will put together a nice touchdown drive to open the third quarter, finding Michael Thomas in the corner of the end zone for a 25-yard touchdown pass to recapture the lead. The Spartans will answer with a field goal on the ensuing possession, then take the lead midway through the fourth quarter when Macgarrett Kings Jr. takes advantage of a coverage bust to get behind the Ohio State defense for a 50-yard score.
Trailing 30-24, the Buckeyes will get a nice return from Dontre Wilson, setting the offense up around midfield with six minutes to go. On the first play of the drive, Ezekiel Elliott will burst through the line and run away from the Michigan State defense for the go-ahead 55-yard touchdown run. It will seal the game for the Buckeyes and will also serve as Elliott's Heisman-defining moment.
Ohio State 31, Michigan State 30
Michigan
12 of 12
Banged and bruised from an overly physical game with Michigan State the week before, Ohio State will struggle early against a motivated Michigan team on the road.
The Wolverines will get a big performance from Shane Morris, who will throw for 250 yards and two touchdowns with just one interception. The Buckeyes will have a hard time overcoming Jim Harbaugh's geared-up squad and a Big House crowd that will be desperate to spoil the Buckeyes' perfect season.
But again, when the Buckeyes are looking to find a rhythm, they'll turn to Ezekiel Elliott for answers. The star junior will slowly wear down Michigan's defensive front, ripping off two long touchdown runs for the Buckeyes.
Leading just 27-21 early in the fourth quarter, Cardale Jones will get Michigan to bite heavily on a play-action fake, and he'll find Corey Smith behind the secondary for a 60-yard, game-clinching touchdown.
The Buckeyes will finish the regular season a perfect 12-0, advancing to the Big Ten Championship Game for a matchup with the Wisconsin Badgers.
Ohio State 34, Michigan 21
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