Remember when Luke Fickell was leading Ohio State to a mediocre record in the year transition from Jim Tressel to Urban Meyer? He looked like he was in over his head, but he was also in a tough position with NCAA sanctions hitting Ohio State.
Now Fickell is at Cincinnati, leading the Bearcats to an 11-2 record a season ago with a Military Bowl win over Virginia Tech. They look like a much better program than people expected when Fickell took the job two years ago as he went from 4-8 to 11-2 in just one season. That kind of turnaround has everyone paying close attention.
Can Fickell sneak up and steal a win over his former team in The Shoe? It’s possible, but I just don’t think the Bearcats will have enough offensive firepower to overcome the Buckeyes.
Cincinnati did rank 23rd in scoring offense and total offense a year ago, but the Buckeyes’ defense will be strong yet again and I see Chase Young having a career game here with three sacks and six total tackles.
This game will be interesting for a half, but Ohio State pulls away late.
Final Score: Cincinnati 20, Ohio State 38 (2-0)