50 For 50: Will Howard Headed For Rarefied Air?

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 three 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 47 |

Biggest Buckeye Matchups

Ohio State DT Ty Hamilton vs. Penn State OG Sal Wormley

Penn State rushed for a season-low total of just 49 yards last year again Ohio State. The Nittany Lions lost 20-12, thanks in large part to their inability to establish the run. If they’re going to get the win this year in Happy Valley, they’ll need to run the ball much better than they did last year. Starting guard Sal Wormley is one of the Big Ten’s best. An Honorable Mention All-Big Ten selection a year ago, he will be matched up often on the interior with Ohio State defensive tackle Ty Hamilton. Hamilton split the starting duties at nose tackle for the Buckeyes last year but he’ll take over full time this year. This will be a game that needs him at his best.

Most Important Games

Georgia Bulldogs at Alabama Crimson Tide, September 28 (7:30 pm ABC)

This is just the third regular-season game between these two programs since 2008. Alabama won both by double digits. This may be the first time the Crimson Tide are home underdogs since 2007, which was Nick Saban’s first year at Alabama. This is one of the four or five biggest games of the year, provided the Tide don’t fold without Saban on the sidelines. Georgia is once again the favorite to win a national title despite a road schedule featuring Bama, Texas, and Ole Miss. The Alabama game is the first checkpoint in that gauntlet. A loss for the Bulldogs will only make each big game even bigger.

Things To Look Forward To

The third-year offensive linemen stepping up.

The Buckeyes have three third-year offensive linemen in various stages of experience. Carson Hinzman started last year at center, Tegra Tshabola played in every game — though mostly on special teams, and George Fitzpatrick played in just three games. All three are a year older. Hinzman is being pushed by Alabama transfer Seth McLaughlin at center, which could end up with Hinzman and Tshabola competing for the starting job at right guard — along with sophomore Luke Montgomery. Hinzman’s experience can only help this offensive line. Tshabola being so close to playing time should only drive him to fight harder. Fitzpatrick will need to emerge in the two-deep for the Buckeyes who are still looking to solidify their top 8-10 linemen. Now is the time for the 2022 recruiting class to truly establish itself.

National College Football Predictions

California and Stanford won’t win more than five combined ACC games.

Stanford, California, and SMU join the Any Coast Conference this year, and SMU may sadly be the best-equipped program to handle their respective move. Cal returns 15 starters but their easiest game is a home contest against rival Stanford. They have no gimmes in the ACC this year. That’s partly a statement about Cal, but also recognition that road games against FSU, Pitt, Wake, and SMU aren’t easy, nor are the home games against Miami, NC State, and Syracuse. However, even if they win four of those games, I might still be okay with my prediction because Stanford will be underdogs in every game, save for possibly their home tilt against Wake Forest.

Big Ten Football Predictions

Iowa LB Nick Jackson will go over 100 tackles for the fifth time.

Iowa linebacker Nick Jackson is 114 tackles away from setting the FBS career mark for tackles. By my count, Jackson will become the first FBS player with five 100-tackle seasons. He’s only hit the 114 mark once in his career, but he’s always close. Jackson has already played in 60 college games in five years. The COVID year gave everybody a free year of eligibility. Jackson was also part of the 2022 Virginia team whose season was cut short following the shooting deaths of three teammates on a school trip.

Ohio State Football Predictions

Will Howard will have over 4,000 yards of total offense.

Will Howard will become only the third Buckeye ever to have 4,000 yards of total offense in a season, and he’ll be the first to do it with more than just passing yards. Quarterbacks CJ Stroud (4,415) did it in 2022 and Dwayne Haskins (4,939) did it in 2018. Both of those players threw for well over 4,000 yards. Will Howard may actually do that as well this year but he’ll hit the 4,000-yard total offense mark long before he hits the 4,000-yard passing mark. Even with 20-30 yards rushing per game, that is still going to lead to 300-400 yards rushing for Howard. If he throws for 250 yards per game this year (Kyle McCord threw for 264.2 yards last year), a 16-game season would put him at 4,000 yards passing.

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