The Buckeyes try to snap their first back-to-back losing skid since 2011 as Big Ten title hopes hang by a thread.
Ohio State returns home Saturday needing a win against Northwestern after consecutive losses knocked the Buckeyes off balance for the first time in over a decade. The slide started with a sloppy, unprepared showing at USC, then continued with a loss to Oregon in Columbus that left fans and analysts puzzled.
Now the Buckeyes face Northwestern with their already slim Big Ten Championship hopes, and any shot at the College Football Playoff, on the line. Oddsmakers have Ohio State favored by a couple of scores, but the outcome likely hinges on whether the offense can actually execute its game plan, something that has been missing the last two weeks.
Writers covering the program are once again weighing in with predictions for how the game will unfold, continuing a weekly tradition of staff picks ahead of Ohio State matchups. The stakes this time are higher than usual given the back-to-back stumbles.
A win keeps the Buckeyes in the conversation, however faint, for the conference title game. A third straight loss would make any Playoff talk largely moot and raise bigger questions about where this season is headed.