Ohio State Football: 3 bold predictions vs. Youngstown State
By Eric Boggs
After winning on the road in Bloomington, Indiana against the Hoosiers in a conference showdown, Ohio State football prepares for its home opener for the 2023 season against in-state opponent Youngstown State.
The Penguins of YSU are an FCS (Football Championship Series) team that plays in the Missouri Valley Conference. This is only the third time Ohio State has played Youngstown State, with the first two games being in 2007 and 2008. Both were comfortable victories for Ohio State who was coached by Jim Tressel at that time.
Speaking of Tressel, those wins over the Penguins must have been difficult for the beloved national championship-winning coach who famously roamed the Buckeye sideline adorned in his classy sweater vest for most games, due to the fact that before he coached at Ohio State, Tressel spent more than a decade as the head coach at YSU. In fact, during his 14 seasons in Youngstown, he won four Division I AA National Championships for the Penguins.
Tressel will once again be back in Columbus this Saturday for this third game in the series between his two programs. There has been no announcement as of yet, but many Buckeyes fans are hoping that Tressel becomes only the third coach in school history to receive the honor of dotting the “I” in Script, Ohio. The other two were Woody Hayes and Earle Bruce.
Outside of all of the festivities beyond the game, there will be football played on the field.
Here are three bold predictions for this Saturday’s game for the Buckeyes.
1. Marvin Harrison Jr. will have a big day
After opening the season with only two receptions for 18 yards, the nation’s top receiver was visibly upset. Whether it was a good defensive scheme by Tom Allen and the Indiana defense, or a lack of experience and poor play by Ohio State quarterback Kyle McCord, Marvin Harrison Jr. was left ineffective in Saturday’s win.
That will not be the case again this Saturday.
Youngstown State only gave up 155 yards passing in their season-opening win against Valparaiso, but this is a completely different level they are about to face. Harrison Jr. is going to be mad and no doubt Ryan Day will be drawing up some plays just for him this Saturday.
If Ohio State plans on reaching its goals this season, they are going to need Harrison Jr. to be everything he is expected to be, which means he needs to get going in the passing game. Sorry about your luck, YSU secondary, it’s going to happen at your expense. Look for MHJ to have at least five receptions, go for over 100 yards, and finish with a pair of touchdowns.