Western Michigan remains on the road in Big Ten country after a four-quarter fight at Wisconsin.
Game notes
- Time and date: Saturday, September 7 at 7:30 p.m. ET
- Network: Big Ten Network
- Location: Ohio Stadium — Columbus, OH
- Spread: Ohio State (-38)
- Over/under: 54.5
- All-time series: Ohio State leads, 1-0
- Last meeting: Ohio State 38, Western Michigan 12 — September 26, 2015
- Current streak: Ohio State, 1 (2015)
Setting the scene
Western Michigan put up a valiant effort at Wisconsin last Friday night, taking a fourth quarter lead over the Badgers moments after the “Jump Around.” But the momentum quickly fizzled when the Broncos inadvertently made contact with a Wisconsin punt, providing the Badgers opportune field position for the go-ahead touchdown.
Despite the crushing ending, Western Michigan left that game with a sense of belief knowing what it’s capable of in 2024. Now the Broncos remain on the road in Big Ten country, and the level of opponent doesn’t get any easier. Western Michigan travels to No. 2 Ohio State for the programs’ second meeting in history, hoping to shock the world to prevent an 0-2 start.
Western Michigan Broncos outlook
Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images
Western Michigan may be 0-1, but Friday night proved head coach Lance Taylor’s rebuild is right on schedule. The Broncos impressed by hanging with Wisconsin in a hostile environment for nearly four whole quarters, and one is left wondering how the game could have unfolded if not for the unfortunate turnover on a punt return.
There were plenty of positives put on tape from that season opener. Western Michigan looked vastly improved on the defensive side under new coordinator Scott Power, especially after ranking 110th in points allowed per game in 2023. The Broncos incorporated a shell style defense, preventing Wisconsin from breaking out for massive gains. It worked like a charm and Wisconsin never collected more than 17 yards on a single snap all night despite running 82 plays.
There were no missed tackles, linebackers were sound in their gaps, and the run fitting was executed extremely well. Wisconsin, renowned for its rushing process and stellar offensive line play, never picked up more than 12 yards on a ground attempt as the Broncos never let those tailbacks cross the second line of defense. Outside linebackers Donald Willis and Boone Bonnema played excellent games, combining for 19 tackles and two tackles for loss in the two-score defeat.
The downside of Western Michigan’s defense, however, is that it couldn’t get off the field. Wisconsin sustained long drives, taking 16, 16, 14, and 14 plays on its first four possessions of the night. The Broncos only forced one punt as the Badgers converted 10-of-16 third downs, so playing more aggressive on those critical downs could be useful in collecting stops. Speaking of aggressiveness, the team could also get more out of its pass rush as defensive tackle Isaiah Green wound up with the only sack from the opener.
Offensively, the Broncos entered the 2024 season with high hopes, returning their starting quarterback in Hayden Wolff, their 1,000-yard MAC Freshman of the Year tailback in Jalen Buckley, three of their top four receivers, and three starting linemen. The unit did suffer a notable loss before taking the field Friday vs. Wisconsin as leading receiver Kenneth Womack suffered a broken hand which will likely keep him out for some time.
Even without the 691-yard First Team All-MAC wideout, Western Michigan had its moments in the opener, showing good offensive line play for the majority of the contest. Buckley tallied 64 yards and should remain an often-utilized weapon as the workhorse running back. Western Michigan leaned more heavily on the ground in Week 1, but the Broncos aren’t afraid to rely heavily on Wolff’s arm. The senior attempted 30+ passes in four games last season and he’ll look to establish strong connections with Anthony Sambucci and Malique Dieudonne as long as Womack is out of the lineup.
Ohio State Buckeyes outlook
Photo by Jason Mowry/Getty Images
It’s time to play the classic game of Ohio State vs. MAC team in September. It’s a game which has been favorable to the Buckeyes every time, as they currently sport a 30-0 record against the conference. Ohio State only defeated Akron by 46 last Saturday, ending its four-game streak of defeating MAC opponents by at least 50 points. The last team to come within 30 though was 2015 Western Michigan, and the 2024 Broncos look to provide a similar challenge to Ryan Day’s Buckeyes.
Ohio State didn’t exactly launch its season in the most spectacular fashion offensively, being subjected to two punts and a turnover on downs within its first six possessions. But the Buckeyes unearthed their offense in the second half vs. Akron, proving this unit can be lethal after uncharacteristically finishing 45th in scoring offense in 2023 — their lowest finish since 2011.
The Buckeyes started anew at quarterback with Kansas State transfer Will Howard. The former Big 12 champion starter is a dual threat quarterback by nature, but he primarily showed his passing side vs. Akron with 17 completions on 28 attempts, 228 passing yards, and a trio of touchdowns. Two of those touchdowns went in the direction of true freshman phenom Jeremiah Smith, who arrived onto the scene last Saturday as the face of the Buckeyes’ future. Marvin Harrison Jr., Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Garrett Wilson, and Chris Olave all recently donned the scarlet and gray, and now the Buckeyes seem to have another future star at the wide receiver position after his 6-catch, 92-yard debut.
Ohio State not only anointed its next star, but the Buckeyes were already loaded at the skill positions. Emeka Egbuka remains a fixture in the receiving corps after totaling 1,151 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2022, and Carnell Tate is a blossoming weapon who managed a career-high four catches in the opener.
Running back is another strength of the team, featuring the talented veteran duo of Ole Miss transfer Quinshon Judkins and longtime staple TreVeyon Henderson. The tandem didn’t require much utilization in a blowout vs. Akron but they still aggregated for 120 yards on efficient running. Judkins and Henderson combine for three 1,100+ yard rushing seasons, so it’s never going to be easy for the Broncos regardless of who lines up in the backfield.
Although the Buckeyes trailed 3-0 for a minimal portion of the Akron game, the defense held its own by preventing the Zips from registering a single end zone entry. It was a complete mismatch in the trenches with the Buckeyes managing five sacks and 10 tackles for loss in front of their home crowd, and the chaos caused by the front seven contributed to a commanding 3-0 victory in the turnover battle. Ohio State scored on a pick-six and scoop-and-score, showing its defense’s ability to completely take over games.
Strong safety Lathan Ransom was the recipient of the scoop-and-score and led the team with nine tackles, and he’s a name Western Michigan will become well acquainted with in film study, while JT Tuimoloau is the biggest threat on the defense to the Broncos’ offensive line, totaling 8.5 sacks and 17.5 tackles for loss across the last two seasons.
Prediction
History between Ohio State and the MAC sides definitively with the Buckeyes in this one.
Ohio State retooled its offense after a down year from the unit, and the Buckeyes seem to have a championship-caliber group on that side of the ball once again, headlined by the arrival of Will Howard at quarterback. They’re a significant step up from Wisconsin on offense, especially in downfield playmaking, so Western Michigan’s defense isn’t going to record another outing without allowing a single explosive play.
The Buckeyes also offer an impenetrable defense, returning a slew of talent from last year’s unit which finished second in scoring defense and third in fewest yards allowed per game. Western Michigan may piece together one first half scoring drive, but crossing the goal line multiple times before this game gets out of hand will be difficult.
Western Michigan may still be miles improved from the 2023 squad, but Saturday belongs to Ohio State in dominant fashion.
Prediction: Ohio State 45, Western Michigan 14