Ohio State Football: 5 Bold Predictions for Buckeyes in 2018

5. Haskins for Heisman

After what seemed to be a decade of having J.T. Barrett under center, the Buckeyes hand the keys to the offense to Dwayne Haskins. In eight games in 2017, mostly as a closer, Haskins threw for 565 yards and four touchdowns while completing 70 percent of his passes.

No performance stuck out like the one he had in The Game. In their game annual game against rival Michigan, the Buckeyes found themselves down 20-14 in the third quarter and without J.T. Barrett, who was injured and forced to leave the game. Enter Dwayne Haskins. With help from the Buckeye defense, Haskins led the Buckeyes to 17 unanswered points and a 31 to 20 victory over that team from up north. Although he did not account for any touchdowns, Haskins completed six of his seven pass attempts that went for 96 yards. Haskins also ran it three times for 24 yards.

Yes, the numbers don’t speak loudly, but the decision making and big plays show the potential he has. During the Buckeyes rally, Haskins completed several big-time throws on key third down situations. The combination of his decision making and limitless potential gives Haskins a lot to look forward to in 2018.

Unlike his predecessor, Dwayne Haskins is a pass-first quarterback but has the ability to know when to tuck it and run. From having an IQ to his big arm, the redshirt sophomore is going to have a big 2018 season. A season which will have him enter as a sleeper for the Heisman Trophy and finish as a finalist for that same prestigious award!