Focus - Ohio State @ Purdue

There are many factors that will help determine the outcome of the game this weekend as the Buckeyes head to West Lafayette to face the Boilermakers.

The Buckeyes looked like they were sleeping on the Big Ten's worst team, Indiana, last week when they struggled to put the Hoosiers away. The Bucks got a little banged up and were surely given a scare. That scare should serve as a wake-up call to players, coaches, and fans.



Buckeys Need to Block Kawann Short

 Coach Luke Fickell knows the task ahead is a tough one as the Buckeyes are 2-2 at Ross-Ade Stadium in the past decade. The Boilermakers are 4-1 at home this season, and any Big Ten road win is huge as most teams have been very successful in defending their turf. The Buckeyes are 1-2 on the road, but are 1-0 on the road since the return of Boom Herron.

Other elements adding to the game will be revenge and bowl eligibility. Purdue was stomped 49-0 last year in Columbus, and they would love to spoil the Buckeye's shot at the Big Ten Championship Game. A win by the Boilermakers would put an end to that Buckeye dream, and after over-coming so much this season; the Buckeyes want to finish the season out. That win would help the Boilermakers rebound from losing two of their last three games, and it would give them a boost in these last few weeks of regular season play. They need to win two of their final three games to become bowl eligible, and they have Ohio State and Iowa, who is 0-3 on the road, at home before traveling to Bloomington, Indiana to play the in-state rival Hoosiers. While Ohio State and Iowa have their sights set on winning their division, Purdue is hoping that one or both teams are over-looking them. After this weekend, the Big Ten Title race will take another form just as it transformed over the last two weekends. Right now, seven of the twelve teams can still make it to the Big Ten Championship Game. The Big Ten Title picture will be a little clearer after this weekend as there are four big games, but I will discuss all of this in my next post "The B1G Mess".



Braxton Has Rushed for 4 TD's in the Last 2 Games



The actual matchup on the field between Ohio State and Purdue is an interesting one. The Buckeyes have been dominant on the ground since the return of Boom Herron, and Braxton Miller looks to have gained confidence from the Wisconsin win. He set up blocks and jukes in the open field, and his burst is very impressive. Miller, Herron, and Hyde are a good combination. Pair that up with the Boilermaker's awful rush D and injuries on their D-line, and the Bucks should have little problems pounding the ball at Purdue. The coaches came out last week and said they were content with being a one-dimensional team, so we'll see how both teams gameplan for that.

Purdue's pass D is average, but they have a big-play CB in Ricardo Allen. The Bucks don't pass often, especially if it's windy, and had they had that mindset last week; the Indiana game would've been much different. They tried to establish a passing game which resulted in sacks and no big plays for the Buckeye offense. This team knows their offensive identity for now and needs to stick with running the ball. An improved passing game would be a huge boost for the Buckeyes, but that most likely will have to wait another week.



Simon Has Been a Monster Lately



Purdue's offense is one that will attack the Buckeye edges similar to the way that Toledo attacked. The Buckeyes struggled against the Boilers two years ago and struggled against Toledo this year, but they're getting better. Travis Howard has improved his game, and Bradley Roby has matured as the season has progressed. The Purdue attack makes the defense cover the whole field. The safeties can't give up easy ones like they have the past few weeks. One big positive about this matchup is that the Purdue QB isn't known for his mobility. The Bucks have struggled with the mobile Indiana QB, but John Simon and Co. should be able to break through the weak Purdue OL and pressure the QB. This will help the defense in all aspects tremendously. The key to this game is how well the Buckeyes tackle, and Coach Fickell is also directing more attention to getting turnovers.

Special teams has been a big bonus for the Buckeyes lately. Drew Basil has been nailing FG's but needs to avoid kicking out of bounds on kickoffs. Ben Buchanan has been a solid punter too. The Buckeye return game took a hit with the loss of Jordan Hall, but Hall seems like he's on his way back to action this week. If there's a place the Buckeyes really need Jordan Hall, it's returning kicks and punts. Some big special teams plays would help the Buckeyes this weekend, and a fast start would be monumental. The Boilers are known for getting on the scoreboard quickly, so an early big special teams play for the Buckeyes could be a game-changer.

Coach Fick knows that Purdue is a different team at home, and the Buckeyes can't come out flat against this hungry Boilermaker squad. The Buckeyes know that they can only worry about themselves and the task at hand. This week is all about focus. Don't focus on Penn State. Don't focus on the Big Ten Title. Don't even focus on rebounding from last week. Focus on the gameplan for this week's opponent. Know your role, and do your job.

                                                  

                                                                                       
                                                           

Go Bucks!