Marshall (1-1) at No. 3 Ohio State (2-0), Saturday, noon ET (FOX)
BetMGM College Football Odds: Ohio State by 39 1/2.
Series record: Ohio State leads 2-0.
WHAT’S AT STAKE
After crushing Mid-American Conference teams in the first two games, the Buckeyes finish the tune-up portion of the schedule against Marshall of the Sun Belt Conference. Both teams had a week off so will be well-rested, but the Thundering Herd has a monumental task ahead just trying to stay with the surging Buckeyes in the Horseshoe. Marshall crushed FCS team Stony Brook 45-3 then lost to Virginia Tech 31-14 on Sept. 7. Ohio State has beaten MAC teams Akron and Western Michigan by a combined 108-6.
KEY MATCHUP
Buckeyes passing game vs. Marshall secondar. Behind Kansas State transfer quarterback Will Howard, the Ohio State offense has moved methodically and effectively. Howard has passed for 520 yards and four touchdowns in two games. The Marshall defense allowed just 130 passing yards in its 31-24 loss to Virginia Tech in Week 2.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Marshall: QB Stone Earle, a transfer from North Texas, has passed for 228 yards and three touchdowns and run for 22 yards and another score in the Herd’s first two games.
Ohio State: Freshman WR Jeremiah Smith is showing why he was surrounded by so much hype when he got to Columbus. He’s caught 11 passes for 211 yards and three touchdowns in the first two games.
FACTS & FIGURES
The Buckeyes escaped with a 24-21 win against Marshall on Sept. 11, 2004. The next time they played, on Sept. 2, 2010, Ohio State walked away with a 45-7 rout. … Ohio State’s Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson are averaging 7.4 and 7.3 yards per carry, respectively. … Since 1977, Marshall has been a member of the Southern, Mid-American, Conference USA and the Sun Belt conferences. … A,J. Turner rushed for 103 yards on six carries in the Herd’s loss to Virginia Tech. Turner became only the third player in Marshall school history to record rushes of 69-or-more yards in consecutive games. He logged an 80-yard touchdown run against Stony Brook and then had a 69-yard romp at Virginia Tech. … Marshall DL Mike Green has eight career sacks.
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