50 For 50: Will TreVeyon Henderson Step Up In The Biggest Games?

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 15 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 35 |

Biggest Buckeye Matchups

Iowa LB Jay Higgins vs. Ohio State RB TreVeyon Henderson

Iowa linebacker Jay Higgins led the nation with 171 tackles last year. He posted at least 14 tackles in five games last season — including 14 solo tackles in the Hawkeyes’ 35-0 bowl game loss to Tennessee. Unfortunately for Iowa, it doesn’t necessarily matter how well Higgins plays if the Hawkeye offense isn’t going to help out. The offense should be better this year, but that doesn’t mean Higgins can take a week off. Especially when Iowa heads to Columbus. Ohio State running back TreVeyon Henderson is one of the most dangerous offensive players in college football. Higgins will likely be looking at double-digit tackles once again, with many of those tackles — and some of the missed tackles — coming against Henderson. As Michigan’s Donovan Edwards showed the Buckeyes in 2022, a running back only needs to win a couple of battles in order to win the war.

Most Important Games

Penn State at West Virginia, Aug 31 (FOX 12:00 pm)

West Virginia hasn’t won this game since Ronald Reagan was in office. Of course, last year’s game was the first time these two teams have played since Penn State joined the Big Ten in 1993. If Penn State is going to make the College Football Playoffs this year, they won’t want to start the season off with a loss. Starting 0-1 would put a ton of pressure on PSU head coach James Franklin the rest of the season, and we all know how he does when the pressure keeps mounting. West Virginia, meanwhile, is looking forward to this game about as much as they did their season opener against Ohio State in 1998. That one didn’t go well for the Mountaineers, but maybe this one will.

Things To Look Forward To

Redshirt freshman defensive tackles Jason Moore and Will Smith, Jr.

The Ohio State defensive line is going to look much different next year than it does this year. Four starting defensive linemen will be gone and a new wave of Buckeye defensive linemen will need to step up. That process begins this season, and two names to watch that we haven’t really seen yet are redshirt freshman defensive tackles Jason Moore and Will Smith, Jr. Smith didn’t play at all last year due to injury and Moore played just three snaps against Western Kentucky. Moore earned raves in the spring from defensive line coach Larry Johnson and Smith has the motor and lineage that has folks excited. This season should be their first real opportunity to show people what they can begin to expect from them.

National College Football Predictions

Cincinnati will fire head coach Scott Satterfield.

Luke Fickell spoiled the University of Cincinnati and they ended up in the Big XII because of it. Now they might actually believe they belong there. Scott Satterfield replaced Fickell last year and went 3-9 in his first season with the Bearcats. It was his third losing season in his last four years as a head coach. Satterfield went 25-24 in four years at Louisville and it’s unlikely he will be able to do the same at Cincinnati. Even though he’s in just his second year at UC, expectations have been ramped up. If the Bearcats lose to Miami, Oh for a second year in a row and get to November with just a win or two, the inevitable will be much clearer. The only question after his firing will then become which Ohio State assistant coach will Cincinnati come after next?

Big Ten Football Predictions

Zachariah Branch will have 175+ all-purpose yards vs. Michigan.

If USC is going to win at Michigan this season, they’re gonna want to get the ball to sophomore receiver Zachariah Branch. The Wolverines will have difficulty matching up with him in the slot with nickel back Mike Sainristil off to the NFL. Branch will get the ball in a number of ways, including via the return game. His highest number of touches on offense last year as a freshman was six against UCLA. If they double that this year, maybe the Trojans walk out of Michigan Stadium with a win.

Ohio State Football Predictions

Henderson and Judkins will combine for 200 rushing yards vs. Oregon.

There is going to be a part of Ryan Day that wants to go into Oregon and run the ball down the Ducks’ throat. And the thing is, they may have the personnel to do it, though it will require patience. Or it may just require a fourth-quarter lead as the Buckeyes try to run the clock out. Oregon hasn’t given up 200 yards rushing in a game since Oregon State somehow went for 268 against them in 2022. That’s the only time somebody has gone over 200 yards rushing against Ducks head coach Dan Lanning. That will change this year thanks to the combination of TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins. The interesting thing about this prediction is that either one of these backs could be responsible for 160 of the yards predicted. Or all 200. Day and offensive coordinator Chip Kelly will ride the hot hand on the road.

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