50 For 50: Is Caleb Downs Ready For Bryce Underwood?

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 20 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 tackle Jason Moore, quarterback Julian Sayin, 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 SAF CALEB DOWNS VS. MICHIGAN QB BRYCE UNDERWOOD

Bryce Underwood is currently a true freshman quarterback for Michigan. By the time the Wolverines host the Buckeyes, however, he’ll have 11 games under his belt. He may not have started each of those games, but he will have prepared for them. Still, almost everybody expects Underwood to be the starter by the time the Ohio State game comes around. As such, Underwood will be looking for All-American safety Caleb Downs prior to every snap. And then after each snap as well. Even with Underwood having a handful of starts, this feels like a matchup in which Caleb Downs should be a heavy favorite.

Most Important Games

OREGON DUCKS AS WASHINGTON HUSKIES, NOV. 29

Washington has won three of the last four games in this series. Oregon won last year’s matchup 49-21. Wins in this series come in multiples, so that’s bad news for the home team. The last time there was a one-off in this rivalry was 2000 when an Oregon win was sandwiched by a pair of Washington wins. The Huskies certainly have bowl hopes, but they could also be significant spoilers this year. A loss for the Ducks could knock them out of the Big Ten title picture at the very least, and possibly the entire playoffs.

Things To Look Forward To

SEEING IF JASON MOORE CAN TAKE A BIG STEP FORWARD.

The Buckeyes need some upperclassmen to step up on the defensive line. Redshirt sophomore Jason Moore had a strong spring in 2024, but they need more from him this year than they got a year ago. He was a former Top 100 recruit with a ton of potential. It’s not unusual for a defensive lineman to take a couple of years to mature and contribute. Ohio State needs more than just snaps from Moore. They need him to make plays. But will he?

National College Football Predictions

MIAMI WON’T MAKE THE COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF.

I have backed myself into a corner here because I’ve already (foolishly) predicted that Clemson and Georgia Tech are making the playoffs. I’m not ready to make a decision on SMU, but the Canes have to play at SMU, so I’m favoring the Mustangs right now. I don’t see four ACC teams making the playoffs. Not sure three will either. Am I heartbroken to predict doom and gloom for the Hurricanes? Yes, of course. Nobody wants to see Miami back to their rightful place at the head of the college football table more than me. But it’s probably a pipe dream. We can’t travel back in time, after all. Unfortunately, Bill and Ted was just a movie, and Jim Tressel wasn’t.

Big Ten Football Predictions

USC WILL HAVE A TOP 7 SCORING DEFENSE IN THE BIG TEN.

The last time USC played a full season and finished with a top-seven scoring defense in a conference was 2019 when they finished sixth. The Trojans have to have one of the more talented defenses in the Big Ten. It’s time for those individual talents to become a defense. USC held just two opponents under 20 points last season. Of note, USC has held 12 opponents under 20 points the last four seasons. Ohio State held 13 opponents under 20 points last year.

Ohio State Football Predictions

JULIAN SAYIN WILL THROW FOR AT LEAST 260 YARDS PER GAME.

Julian Sayin will be the envy of most quarterbacks in football — college or pro — thanks to his receiving corps this year. I am predicting that Sayin will use those receivers — and tight ends and running backs — to throw for at least 260 yards per game this season. That’s 10 more yards than Will Howard managed a year ago. If Sayin hits 260 yards, that would be 24 yards more per game than JT Barrett as a redshirt freshman in 2014, but 109 yards fewer than CJ Stroud as a redshirt freshman in 2021.

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