Northwestern vs. Ohio State: Week 11 Predictions

Northwestern (6-3, 3-3 Big Ten) travels to Columbus on Saturday to take on Ohio State (6-3, 4-2 Big Ten) at Ohio Stadium. Kickoff is set for 11 a.m. CT on FOX, with both teams looking to get back on track after consecutive losses. The Wildcats will face another difficult test on the road as they look to avoid dropping their third straight game.

I’ve backed the Wildcats in each of the last two weeks, but they haven’t been able to get the job done. Northwestern had an opportunity to pull off a big win against Oregon two weeks ago but couldn’t finish the game, falling 34-26. Despite a strong performance from Aidan Chiles, the Wildcats came up short against a talented Ducks team.

Things didn’t get much easier last week against Iowa. With Chiles sidelined, Nicco Marchiol made his first start for Northwestern, but the offense struggled to find consistency. The Wildcats managed just 10 points in a 24-10 loss, suffering their first defeat at the new Ryan Field.

Now, Northwestern faces another major challenge against Ohio State. The Buckeyes are also coming off consecutive losses, but playing in Columbus is a difficult task regardless of their recent results. Ohio State has plenty of talent across its roster, and the Wildcats will need a much better performance on both sides of the ball to have a chance.

The quarterback situation is another storyline heading into Saturday. With Chiles unavailable for Northwestern’s last game and Ohio State turning to freshman Luke Fahey, both teams could be relying on quarterbacks who are still getting valuable starting experience.

Another factor working against Northwestern is its history in Columbus. The Wildcats haven’t beaten Ohio State on the road since 1971, a streak that has lasted more than 55 years. Ending that drought would be a major accomplishment, but I don’t see it happening this weekend.

I’ve wanted to give Northwestern the benefit of the doubt over the last couple of weeks, but the team hasn’t shown enough consistency to make me confident in another upset pick.

Without Chiles, it becomes an even tougher challenge against a talented Ohio State roster in a difficult road environment. I see the Buckeyes controlling the game and pulling away in the second half for a 31-17 win.

Prediction: Ohio State 31, Northwestern 17

Another week without Aidan Chiles means another predicted Northwestern loss. Chiles’ absence was devastating for the Wildcats last week, as Nicco Marchiol didn’t do anything wrong but didn’t do anything spectacular either. I also wasn’t overly impressed with how Chip Kelly called the game against Iowa, even with a backup quarterback.

Ohio State is clearly dealing with adversity since Julian Sayin’s injury, and true freshman quarterback Luke Fahey has been a mixed bag in his place. The Buckeyes still have the best player in the country, though, in wide receiver Jeremiah Smith. If Fahey can get the football in Smith’s vicinity against Northwestern’s banged-up secondary, I feel pretty confident he’ll come down with the catch.

I actually believe I would have picked Northwestern to win this game if Chiles were healthy, especially with how Ohio State’s defense has struggled lately. However, I didn’t see anything from Marchiol last week that makes me believe he’ll be able to put together enough successful drives to beat the Buckeyes.

Prediction: Ohio State 28, Northwestern 13

I’ll keep it brief this week. A hard and fast rule to live by is never to doubt a well-coached team after it’s been humiliated. Such was the case with Ohio State losing to Oregon. The Buckeyes still have something to play for, whether it’s pride or the prestige that comes with remaining ranked.

Ohio State trusts Luke Fahey to throw the ball 50 times. You can’t say the same for Chip Kelly and Nicco Marchiol. Northwestern is going to have to take some major leaps of faith with its play calling to even stay in the game against Ohio State. I hate to say it, but this one looks like a lost cause.

Prediction: Ohio State 31, Northwestern 14