50 For 50: Will Howard Will Be Running In 2024

Welcome to our daily feature that I am calling “50 for 50” where I attempt to get us to Big Ten Media Days — which are 16 days away — with a daily sampling of what we can look forward to this upcoming college football season.

We will do this via the following categories: the 50 biggest individual matchups for the Buckeyes this season, the 50 most important college football games this season, 50 Buckeye things to look forward to this season, 50 national predictions, 50 Big Ten predictions, and 50 predictions involving the Buckeyes.

Previous: Day 34 |

Biggest Buckeye Matchups

Michigan RB Donovan Edwards vs. Ohio State LB Cody Simon

Donovan Edwards has carried the ball 32 times for 247 yards in Michigan’s last two wins over Ohio State. Only four of those carries have gone for more than six yards, however. Two of those 32 carries went for 160 yards and sealed OSU’s fate in 2022. Sixteen of his 32 carries have gone for 2 yards or less. Seven of those 32 rushes went for a loss or zero yards. And yet, the Wolverines still won both games. Edwards rushed for 31 yards on 10 carries last year but Michigan still won. If Ohio State can hold him to those same numbers this year, the odds will be much higher for a Buckeye win. Fifth-year senior middle linebacker Cody Simon will be at the forefront of making that happen. As everyone saw in the playoffs last season, it will be imperative for Edwards to be brought down when it looks like a play is contained. When he runs to contact, Cody Simon needs to be there to bring him down. If he doesn’t, Edwards could have another big finish just like he did in 2022.

Most Important Games

Arizona Wildcats at Utah Utes, September 28

Utah starting quarterback Cameron Rising has never NOT won a conference title when he is the Utes’ starter. Utah won the Pac 12 in 2021 and 2022, beating higher-ranked teams each time in the conference championship game. Now, after missing the 2023 season, Rising is attempting to lead the Utes to a Big XII championship. Arizona also has title hopes in their new conference, and even though they have to play this game in Salt Lake City, it comes one week after Utah travels to Oklahoma State while the Wildcats will be coming off of an open week. It is going to be interesting to see if Utah’s style of face-punching football makes as much noise in the Big XII as it did in the Pac 12.

Things To Look Forward To

Michigan Week.

No other week catches your lungs off guard like Michigan Week. Even as you think of it right now, your blood starts to sizzle a bit. It’s the best thing in sports and you get to be a part of it. There are 11 games to play before this one, but once that 11th game is over, Michigan Week begins and so does the angst and anticipation. There’s nothing else like it. How can you not look forward to it?

National College Football Predictions

Ole Miss is making the College Football Playoff.

Ole Miss may end up being one of the two or three SEC teams this year that miss the conference championship game and just sits back and waits to be told that they’re in. A non-conference schedule against Furman, Middle Tennessee, Wake Forest, and Georgia Southern won’t be an issue. Road games at South Carolina, LSU, Arkansas, and Florida may lead to one loss. Home games against Kentucky, Oklahoma, Georgia, and Mississippi State will lead to another. The Rebels will have to beat one of Oklahoma, Georgia, or LSU in order to make the playoffs. They won’t have any other quality wins to overcome their three losses if they don’t. I think they’ll split the home games against Georgia and Oklahoma. A win over Georgia could land them in the SEC Championship Game though. It’s not a crazy possibility. Am I overlooking Florida here? Possibly.

Big Ten College Football Predictions

Purdue will have a lead in the second half against Notre Dame.

This is one of the great rivalries inside the Indiana state borders. Notre Dame and Purdue have played for the coveted Bronze Winnebago since 1970 when RV magnate Tom Raper offered up a bronzed edition of a miniature 1970 Winnebago Chieftain D27 to the winners. The Irish won that first mini RV in a 48-0 shutout. The Boilermakers haven’t won “The Bronze ‘Bago” since 2007. They’re not going to win it this year, but they do have an open week before the Irish come to West Lafayette. That extra time off will help to make this a competitive game well into the second half, but the luck of the Irish will bring the ‘Bago home once more.

Ohio State Football Predictions

Will Howard will have a rush of at least 37 yards.

Why am I predicting that Will Howard will have a rush of at least 37 yards this season? Because over the past three seasons, Ohio State’s quarterbacks have combined for 36 total rushing yards. I am predicting that Howard will better that number with just one carry. Now, it won’t be his first carry as a Buckeye, like when Justin Fields went for 51 yards and a touchdown against Florida Atlantic in 2019, but it will eventually happen. How possible is it? Well, Howard had an 80-yard run in 2020, a 71-yarder in 2021, and a 70-yard run last season. Who knows, maybe he can top JT Barrett’s 86-yard jaunt against Minnesota in 2014.

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