Ohio State head coach Ryan Day before the Buckeyes’ Sept 6. game against Grambling State at Ohio Stadium. Day spoke with the media Tuesday ahead of the teams trip to Seattle. Credit: Liam Ahern | Sports Photo Editor
Ohio State is coming off an idle week after going unbeaten in nonconference play.
Now the Buckeyes will open Big Ten play with a trip to Seattle to face the undefeated Washington Huskies Saturday at 3:30 p.m. EDT.
The Buckeyes outscored opponents 121-16 during a dominant 3-0 non-conference start, but head coach Ryan Day said they are only looking forward.
“Whatever we’ve done the first three games means absolutely nothing going into this game,” Day said. “We’ve got to go on the road and get this win.”
The Huskies are the highest-scoring team in the Big Ten, averaging more than 55 points a game. They also average 260 rushing yards, the second most in the conference. Saturday’s matchup will be the first between the two programs as conference foes.
Here are three takeaways from Day’s Tuesday press conference:
Playing on the road
Saturday marks redshirt freshman quarterback Julian Sayin’s first career start away from Ohio Stadium, and it comes in one of college football’s most hostile venues. Washington owns the nation’s second-longest active home winning streak at 22 games and hasn’t lost at Husky Stadium in more than three seasons.
“It’s almost like going back to the beginning, going back to the basics, because anytime you go on the road, everything’s a little bit more difficult,” Day said.
To help players adjust, Ohio State will depart for Seattle on Thursday, a day earlier than last year’s West Coast trip to Oregon, where the Buckeyes fell 32-31.
Facing QB Demond Williams Jr.
The Buckeyes will see the reigning Big Ten offensive player of the week on Saturday in Washington quarterback Demond Williams Jr., who threw four touchdown passes. He added a rushing score and totaled 386 yards of offense in a 59-24 win over Washington State Sept. 20.
“Whether it’s on the road or at home, a quarterback who can move with the quickness and the acceleration that he moves with is difficult,” Day said.
Williams Jr. also ranks seventh nationally in completion percentage at 73.5%.
“He’s been very accurate, so it’s a great challenge for our defense,” Day said.
Win one-on-one battles on offense
Day said the scheme of Washington defensive coordinator Ryan Walters creates plenty of head-to-head matchups that Ohio State must win.
We have to make sure we’re winning our one-on-ones,” Day said. “That’s everybody, including the offensive line.”
Through three games, Washington’s defense has recorded eight sacks and 17 tackles for loss. Ohio State’s offensive line, which has allowed just one sack, will try to keep that pressure in check.
