OPPONENT: Washington (3-0, 0-0 Big Ten)
The nonconference schedule is officially done for Ohio State, which means it’s on to Big Ten competition.
It’s the Buckeyes’ first time matching up against Washington as a conference foe, and their first time meeting up with the Huskies since the 2019 Rose Bowl, Urban Meyer’s last game at Ohio State.
Washington is just two seasons removed from being CFP runners up, losing to Michigan in the 2023 title game, and Jedd Fisch and the Huskies are set on getting back to that level as soon as possible.
This season is already going much better than last year for them, with a 3-0 record, and some big wins to show for it. Most recently, the Huskies won the Apple Cup over Washington State 59-24, with quarterback Demond Williams Jr. looking the part more and more each week.
Williams provides one of the bigger threats the Buckeye defense has seen this year, in terms of being a danger to tuck and run. He is the second leading rusher on the team with 220 yards on 34 attempts through three games. He has also thrown for 778 yards on 50-of-68 passing for six touchdowns and no interceptions.
Over the off week, Ohio State defensive coordinator Matt Patricia compared Williams’ ability to get to his top speed so quickly to NFL quarterback Kyler Murray.
“It’s so fast to that first-step speed. When you can get to your top speed in one step, that makes it very difficult for defensive players, especially guys in the front,” Patricia said. “A lot of times they’re bigger, longer, slower. You’re trying to rush, or you’re trying to play the run game, because he can obviously run with the ball too a certain way; you think you have him leveraged, and then all of a sudden he sidesteps it, and then he’s out the gate.”
Jonah Coleman is the leading rusher for the Huskies this year with 347 yards on 51 attempts and nine touchdowns, five of which came in a 70-10 win over UC Davis in Week 2.
Fisch credits Coleman’s improvement from last season to both a rise in his game and in the skill those around him.
“The O-line is better, the wide receivers are better at blocking,” Fisch said. “The threat of a quarterback who can run changes the way defenses play you. Jonah is thriving in that situation because he’s the benefactor of the way (offensive linemen) Drew Azzopardi, Carver Willis, Landen Hatchett, Geiran Hatchett and John Mills are playing, as well as (tight end) Quentin Moore being back.”
Wideout Denzel Boston is the leading pass catcher for the Huskies to this point with 16 catches for 249 yards and three touchdowns. They will be down a man in the contest with Rashid Williams dealing with an injury he suffered against the Aggies in Week 2.
The Huskies currently have the No. 41 scoring defense in the country after fiving up 21 to Colorado State, 10 to UC Davis and 24 to Washington State. The Buckeyes’ offense will be by the far tmost explosive they have seen this season
Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin has had a few mistakes in the last couple of games with three interceptions, but head coach Ryan Day believes they are fixable problems and doesn’t seem to worried about Sayin’s ball security. But Fisch said one of the missions of the Husky defense is to try to create turnovers.
“Turnovers come in bunches, and we’ve got to get some momentum to get them,”Fisch said. “But you also have to attack the ball. You have to have that philosophy of, it’s not just about a tackle, it’s about a strip. It’s not just about a sack, it’s about a strip-sack. It’s not just about getting a guy down, it’s about punching it out.”
Strong safety Alex McLaughlin had two interceptions in the win over Washington State in Week 4, proving Fisch’s idea that turnovers come in bunches.
This will also be Sayin’s first start on the road, and Husky Stadium is not an easy place to play. The Buckeyes are favored by 9.5 points early in the week, but it will be their toughest matchup yet.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
- QB Demond Williams Jr. — Williams is a skilled runner, and seems to be a threat throwing the ball as well in his first full year as the Huskies starter. He has run for 220 yards and two touchdowns while throwing for 778 yards and seven scores.
- RB Jonah Coleman — Ran for five touchdowns in a Week 2 70-10 win over UC Davis. Has nine touchdowns in three games on the ground, but is also a pass-catching threat as the second-leading receiver on the team with eight catches for 150 yards and a score.
- SAF Alex McLaughlin — Is tied for the team lead in tackles with 16 through three games, but also had two interceptions in Week 4 against Washington State.
SERIES HISTORY: This will be the 13th time that Ohio State and Washington have played each other, and the Buckeyes lead the series 9-3. The last time the two played was Jan. 1, 2019, in the Rose Bowl when Dwayne Haskins led OSU to a 28-23 win over the Huskies.
Check back every Monday at BuckeyeSports.com for a brief preview of the Buckeyes’ upcoming opponent, with stories and features throughout the week.
Photo courtesy of Washington Athletics
