Ohio State football: 3 bold predictions vs. Western Kentucky

3. The Ohio State defense will create two turnovers

This might be my most bold prediction for this weekend’s game. Western Kentucky has yet to turn the football over. In fact, they are number one in the country at plus-six in that department. Ohio State on the other hand is at an even zero, having thrown an interception in the opening game while getting one themselves last week when Denzel Burke snatched an INT in the endzone.

You have to believe that the Ohio State defensive backs are chomping at the bit. Western Kentucky is going to throw the football two or three times more than they are going to run, offering Ohio State the possibility to jump a route or two during the game and come away with an interception. If the Hilltoppers fall behind early, they may have to run a few more longer developing plays than they would like, which also makes them susceptible to a strip sack.

Woody Hayes famously said, “There are only three things that can happen on a pass, and two of them are bad.”

Ohio State is counting on two of those bad things to happen in Saturday’s game for WKU quarterback Austin Reed. On the season, Reed has taken care of the football while managing Tyson Helton’s air raid offense to near perfection. The Ohio State defense has looked much improved on the season, but stopping this WKU passing attack is a different animal. One thing that can halt it in its tracks is a couple of interceptions.

The last time Ohio State’s defense created two or more turnovers in a game was against Penn State last year. I smell a couple of turnovers on Saturday in favor of Ohio State.