50 For 50: Is Ohio State Playoff Bound?

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 45 days away — with a daily sampling of what we can look forward to this upcoming college football season. Today’s edition features Ohio State safety Caleb Downs, defensive end Kenyatta Jackson, and more.

As always, 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.

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Biggest Buckeye Matchups

Ohio State DE Kenyatta jackson vs. illinois lt jc davis

JC Davis was a Third-Team All-Big Ten selection at left tackle for the Illini last year. He transferred in from New Mexico where he started the previous 24 games. Davis was on his way to the NFL after last season when he was granted an extra year of eligibility because his freshman season at Contra Costa Junior College no longer counted against him. His return is huge for Illinois and is going to be a very difficult matchup for Ohio State defensive end Kenyatta Jackson. The Illini have playoff hopes. They also have the individual players to make it happen. Jackson doesn’t need to win every snap against Davis, but if he wins enough of them, the Buckeyes should walk out of this game with a victory.

Most Important Games

Texas Tech Red Raiders at Arizona State sun devils, october 18

Texas Tech has poured a ton of money into the transfer portal. Part of the reason they did so was because they saw a team like Arizona State in the College Football Playoff last year. All it takes is winning the Big XII. This is going to be a major road block for both teams, so whoever win it is going to be in a favorable situation. The Sun Devils have a different team this year, but the culture remains. This may be the game of the year in the Big XII.

Things To Look Forward To

The first touchdown-saving tackle from caleb downs.

You know exactly what I’m talking about. The Ohio State defense gets crossed up or outnumbered and it looks like a ball-carrier has a free run, and then all of a sudden the glass breaks, the music hits, and Stone Cold Caleb Downs comes running down the ramp and makes the touchdown-saving tackle by an ankle. If you blink, you’ll miss it. But don’t worry, there will be more tackles.

National College Football Predictions

Alabama qb ty simpson will be an all-sec selection.

There are SEC quarterbacks who are getting more attention than Alabama’s Ty Smith, but none of them are throwing to sophomore receiver Ryan Williams. I’m not saying Simpson is going to be a First-Team All-SEC selection, but he will make one of the first three teams, which means three of LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier, Florida’s DJ Lagway, Oklahoma’s John Mateer, South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers, and Texas legend Arch Manning won’t.

Big Ten Football Predictions

penn state will sack nico iamaleava 5+ times.

You may remember former Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava from such films as “Running For My Life Against The Buckeyes” and “The Big Bluff,” but the next time you’ll see him he’ll be UCLA’s starting quarterback. And when you see Penn State travel to the Rose Bowl on October 4, Iamaleava is gonna be playing the hits. He will be running for his life once again. The Buckeyes sacked him four times in the CFP first-round matchup last year, but hit him many more times than that. The Nittany Lions will do similar, and they’ll be working against a much more welcoming offensive line.

Ohio State Football Predictions

Ohio state will make the college football playoff.

It isn’t going to be an easy ride, but Ohio State is once again equipped to make the playoffs. That would have also been the case for most Buckeye teams of the last 25 years had there been a 12-team playoff in those years. This is not a bold prediction, but I thought you’d want to know. Also, it’s notable that all of Ohio State’s legitimate national titles have come with a new starting quarterback at the helm.

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