Ten takeaways from Ohio State’s lopsided win over Wisconsin
The battle of the Big Ten East and Big Ten West favorites was over before it started on Saturday night in Columbus.
Before Wisconsin could take a breathe, Ohio State had a 7-0 lead thanks to a six-play, 88-yard lightning strike to begin the evening. The first Wisconsin pass of the evening? Undoubtedly the worst toss of Graham Mertz’s young season as he missed Chimere Dike by a country mile and found the unwelcoming arms of Ohio State cornerback Tanner McCalister.
When the dust settled after 15 minutes, Wisconsin was facing a seemingly insurmountable 21-0 lead.
How did everything unravel within the opening frame, and what can we take away from an Ohio State masterclass? Here are ten takeaways from a night to forget in Columbus:
The talent gap is insurmountable in 2022
Sep 17, 2022; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes offensive lineman Donovan Jackson (74) blocks for Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) during Saturday’s NCAA Division I football game at Ohio Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Barbara Perenic/Columbus Dispatch
Let’s start with the brutally honest truth: the talent gap between this Buckeyes team and this Badgers team feels insurmountable even if everything goes right. Recruiting rankings, the wide receivers room, the quarterback position, the list is as long as you want to make it. The talent gap feels as wide as it has been over the last decade, but has never really been narrow.
If you want a chance, the start is everything
Sep 17, 2022; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) and Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. (18) celebrate after connecting for a touchdown during Saturday’s NCAA Division I football game against the Toledo Rockets at Ohio Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Barbara Perenic/Columbus Dispatch
C.J. Stroud picked Wisconsin’s zone coverage apart early, feeding his tight end Cade Stover down the seam. It was over within five minutes after Mertz’s miscue. If you want any chance of pulling off a massive upset, the first quarter is the most important one. Recovering from the mental and physical blow of one one of the worst starts in recent Wisconsin history against a team like the Buckeyes? Crazier things haven’t happened.
You have to give yourself a chance, and Wisconsin was unable to do that tonight. We will see if they get another crack at this Buckeyes team down the road.
Wisconsin's front seven was completely overmatched
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – NOVEMBER 27: Keeanu Benton #95 of the Wisconsin Badgers celebrates after recording a sack against Tanner Morgan #2 of the Minnesota Golden Gophers (not pictured) in the second quarter of the game at Huntington Bank Stadium on November 27, 2021 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images)
Don’t put this one on Jim Leonhard or scheme. This defensive performance was an inability to execute anything the Badger defensive coordinator dialed up, paired with facing arguably the most explosive offense in the nation.
The front seven was dominated all evening long. Every pressure Wisconsin threw at Ohio State was picked up by the Buckeyes. The Badgers failed to get to Stroud early and often, linebackers looked lost all evening, and Keeanu Benton failed to make an impact play.
The aerial attack was expected, but getting destroyed on the ground is truly concerning
Aug 4, 2022; Columbus, OH, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) hands off to running back TreVeyon Henderson (32) during the first fall football practice at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center. Mandatory Credit: Adam Cairns-The Columbus Dispatch
Ohio State Football First Practice
Allowing the Buckeyes to run for over 200 yards on the ground, allowing both Ohio State feature backs to eclipse 100 yards, and allowing Ohio State to create running lanes the size of a Los Angeles freeway were all part of the Wisconsin experience on Saturday night.
We can stick on the point of Wisconsin’s poor front seven play here, as Ohio State’s offensive line pushed the Badgers around at the line of scrimmage. The Badgers are generally the team that does the pushing around in the trenches. The script has never been more flipped than it was in Columbus on Saturday.
Would it have made a difference? No. But just go for it...
Wisconsin coach Paul Chryst walks onto the field before a game against Penn State at Beaver Stadium in State College, Pennsylvania, on Nov. 10, 2018. (Matthew O’Haren-USA TODAY Sports)
Wisconsin was down 21-0 in the first quarter and facing a fourth-and-one on their own 44-yard line. Sending out Andy Vujnovich, who struggled all night punting the football, for a 23-yard punt was the decision. It felt like waving the white flag within the first 15 minutes, and was an embarrassingly conservative call in a moment where Wisconsin needed to stand their ground.
You don’t pick it up? Fine, at least the effort was made.
The Braelon Allen wildcat was interesting...albeit mostly predictable
Sep 3, 2022; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Wisconsin Badgers running back Braelon Allen (0) celebrates after rushing for a touchdown during the second quarter against the Illinois State Redbirds at Camp Randall Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
In short-yardage situations, the Braelon Allen wildcat felt like an interesting wrinkle. If Allen passing is something we see mixed in once in a while, as we saw on the 18-year old’s 3rd down connection to Jack Eschenbach for a first down late in the third quarter, expect the Badgers to find success with it throughout the year.
With that said, it ended up just making Wisconsin even more predictable for most of the night. Hey, we are going to run now! Let’s make sure everybody knows it.
Well, least we saw something different. We are trying to find positives here.
Ohio State mixed things up beautifully on offense
Sat., Jan. 1, 2022; Pasadena, California, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day celebrates following the Buckeyes’ 48-45 victory against the Utah Utes in the 108th Rose Bowl Game.
It was a masterclass from Ryan Day and the Buckeyes on offense. Ohio State mixed up the run and pass to perfection, constantly thwarting anything that Jim Leonhard tried to throw at them. A vintage performance from the offensive line opened up both the air and the ground.
Ohio State's wide receivers room just isn't fair
Sep 17, 2022; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) and Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. (18) celebrate after connecting for a touchdown during Saturday’s NCAA Division I football game against the Toledo Rockets at Ohio Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Barbara Perenic/Columbus Dispatch
When you’re missing a generational talent in Jaxon Smith-Njigba and can still look like the best wide receivers room in the nation…unfair.
Decked out with an Apple Watch and Louis Vuitton cleats, Marvin Harrison Jr. made plays while former five-star Julian Fleming came alive late. Emeka Egbuka had his own signature moments as the Buckeyes cruised.
Wisconsin has no identity on either side of the football
Sep 3, 2022; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Wisconsin Badgers head coach Paul Chryst talks with quarterback Graham Mertz (5) during the third quarter against the Illinois State Redbirds at Camp Randall Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
This doesn’t feel like an overreaction to playing against superior talent: Wisconsin lacks identity on either side of the football through four weeks. We saw struggles against Washington State, we’ve seen the defense struggle in one-on-one situations all season, and the offense went scoreless in the second half against the Cougars.
Identity isn’t just a buzz word when it comes to Badger football. They’ve built a program behind opponents knowing what they want to be and them being that anyway.
We know the historical identity of Wisconsin, but is the defensive front seven and the offensive line good enough to create that type of team? Time will tell.
The Big Ten West runs through Minnesota
Sep 1, 2022; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; New Mexico State Aggies head coach Jerry Kill calls a play during the first quarter against the Minnesota Golden Gophers at Huntington Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports
Just what Badger fans wanted to hear at the end of a long night, right? Yes, Minnesota will have to travel to Madison at the end of the year, but P.J. Fleck and the Gophers made a statement in their 34-7 win at Michigan State this morning. Everything in the Big Ten West currently runs through the Twin Cities.
