50 For 50: CJ Hicks Is Overdue For A Big Game

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 14 days away — with a daily sampling of what we can look forward to this upcoming college football season. Today’s edition features Ohio State defensive end CJ Hicks, wide receiver Quincy Porter, cornerback Davison Igbinosun, 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 CB DAVISON IGBINOSUN VS. MICHIGAN WR DONAVEN MCCULLEY

Before Donaven McCulley was a Michigan wide receiver, he was an Indiana wide receiver. And before he was an Indiana wide receiver, he was an Indiana quarterback. He played against the Buckeyes in 2021 and completed 1-of-6 passes for 30 yards. He also rushed 11 times for nine yards in that game. He caught two passes for a combined 25 yards against the Buckeyes in 2022 and 2023. McCulley will be decked out in Maize and Blue this time around, and the 6-foot-5 receiver is going to be an imposing physical matchup for Davison Igbinosun. Igbinosun is himself big and physical, so go ahead and expect some fireworks here.

Most Important Games

SOUTH CAROLINA GAMECOCKS AT TEXAS A&M AGGIES, NOV. 15

This is going to be a painful loss for somebody. Both teams should come into this game with playoff hopes. Unfortunately, this will probably be somebody’s third loss and all but eliminate them from the CFP. The Gamecocks will have a four-game stretch of LSU, Oklahoma, Alabama, and Ole Miss before they play A&M. If they make it through that stretch with a 3-2 mark, that may keep them alive for the playoffs — though the finale at home against Clemson may very well end things. Similarly, the Aggies have a road game at Texas waiting for them at the end of the season.

Things To Look Forward To

QUINCY PORTER SHOWING WHY HE’S THE NEXT GUY UP.

There’s a decent chance that Quincy Porter will be Jeremiah Smith’s backup this year, so he’ll be in the two-deep. That doesn’t mean he’s going to play a bunch, but he’ll play enough for you to get an idea of why everybody is so high on him. Porter had a very good spring and should pick up in fall camp just fine. This will be a deeper group of receivers than a year ago, and all of the young guys like Porter are going to be trying to prove themselves. Expect Porter to be a standout among the first-year Buckeyes this season.

National College Football Predictions

JEREMIYAH LOVE WILL RUSH FOR AT LEAST 1,100 YARDS.

Jeremiyah Love rushed for 1,125 yards last year as a sophomore. He averaged 6.9 yards per carry last year but has never carried the ball more than 16 times in a game — and he’s only carried it 16 times once. Love will need to carry the ball more this year to hit 1,100 yards because I’m not sure the Irish will play 16 games like they did last year. Notre Dame should also use him more because he’s really damn good. Love will become the first Irish running back to rush for back-to-back seasons of 1,100 yards since Darius Walker did it in 2006 and 2007.

Big Ten Football Predictions

NEBRASKA WILL HAVE A 4-GAME WINNING STREAK.

Nebraska hasn’t had a 4-game winning streak since 2016. They will likely open 3-0 against Cincinnati (in Kansas City), Akron, and Houston Christian. Then Michigan comes to town. If the Huskers lose that game, they can try again with a four-game stretch of Michigan State, road games against Maryland and Minnesota, and a home game against Northwestern. There are opportunities here for Nebraska to do something that they used to do 2-3 times per year. And who knows, maybe the Huskers will even open up at 8-0.

Ohio State Football Predictions

CJ HICKS WILL HAVE A MULTI-SACK GAME.

CJ Hicks has two career sacks in his first three years as a Buckeye. Those two sacks came over three games last year. He has never had a game with multiple sacks — until this year. I don’t know when it’s going to happen, but it is going to happen. It may “only” be 1.5 sacks, but that is still more than one. If CJ Hicks is at the top of OSU’s rotation, this feels like a no-brainer. If he’s not, however, then this may have to come against a lesser opponent. But one way or another, it’s going to happen.

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