Cincinnati Football: 3 keys to victory vs. Ohio State in Week 2

2. Make no major mental errors

We know what Ohio State is bringing: Four and five-star athletes and many future NFL players. Cincinnati’s margin for error is very small. If the Bearcats lose, they want to lose because the Buckeyes were the better team, not because they beat themselves.

One of my favorite football terms is “on schedule”. The Bearcats need to be on schedule on offense. If they get four or five yards on first down, they don’t want a holding penalty on 2nd-and-6. If that happens, and it’s 2nd-and-16, now you’re off schedule and behind the chains.

Similarly, you don’t want 3rd-and-3 and then you get a false start. Now you are 3rd-and-8, and you’ve taken away the option to run the ball. Cincinnati has to play clean on offense to give themselves a chance to score and a chance to win.

Defensively, the Bearcats can’t let Ohio State off the hook with penalties. They can’t afford pass interference penalties on third and long. They can’t afford any penalties that grant the Buckeyes automatic first downs on third and long.

Also, Cincinnati has to tackle well. If Austin Mack catches a 6-yard slant, it can’t turn into a 20-yard reception. They have to get guys on the ground. Ohio State has too much speed to miss tackles. A missed tackle could be the difference between third-and-long and a touchdown. This is when all of those long hours of practice and training come into play.