No. 4 Buckeyes look to bounce back against Nebraska

The Buckeyes are hoping to get back on track this weekend and avoid the infamous “Trap Game” – a game that separates two likely top-five matchups.

No. 4 Ohio State will welcome Nebraska to Columbus on Saturday for a noon contest. The Cornhuskers are fresh off a disappointing 49-point loss to undefeated Indiana.

The point spread favors Ohio State over the Cornhuskers by nearly 25 figures, meaning bettors would need the Buckeyes to lead by more than 25 points to win their bet, according to most major sportsbooks.

Many key storylines will revolve around Nebraska’s freshman quarterback Dylan Raiola, who previously committed to Ohio State University during his initial recruiting process.

In his first seven college games, Raiola has thrown for 1,592 yards, which ranks him sixth in the Big Ten with nine touchdowns and six interceptions.

“I think he has a chance to be a great player,” head coach Ryan Day said of Raiola. “I think he’s already playing at a high level; He has a lot of talent.”

Defensively, Nebraska is led by two experienced senior defensive linemen: Nash Hutmacher and Ty Robinson, both of whom have had success All-Big Ten honorable mention in 2023.

In his sixth collegiate season, Robinson leads the Cornhuskers in tackles for loss and has a team-high four sacks.

But Nebraska’s defense won’t feel too foreign to Buckeyes graduate quarterback Will Howard.

The Cornhuskers’ defense is similar to what Howard previously struggled with at Kansas State before transferring to Ohio State this season.

Howard said he knows Ohio State will be hungry for a win after last week’s tough loss and he’s ultimately focused on his own team.

“You’ve got some young guys doing good things,” he said. “It will be fun; It will be a good challenge at home, and [we can] Get the ball rolling again.”