The Ohio Bobcats have proven they are not a pushover, thanks to these three defenders leading the way.

Through a couple of weeks in the college football season, the Ohio Bobcats have proven that they are not to be overlooked. In two games against Power Four opponents, they are 1-1 with a three-point loss.

Yes, that defeat was to a three-point loss to Rutgers, but the point remains. The Bobcats don’t care that they are from the Mid-American Conference; they are going to give everyone their best shot. Recent history tells us they will get the Buckeyes’ best effort, too.

Last Saturday in Athens felt like a scene from a movie for Bobcats everywhere. Major kudos to West Virginia for agreeing to play Ohio on the road to start their home-and-home series, but it could not have gone worse for the Mountaineers.

After trailing by a touchdown to start the game, OU snatched a 10-7 lead with 2:36 left in the first half. Then, about a minute later, following a WVU three-and-out, the Bobcats punched another one in to take a 17-7 lead at the break.

The second half was an old-school slugfest, featuring only a Mountaineer field goal in the third quarter. In front of a sold-out Peden Stadium, OU got the job done and emerged victorious.

Ohio State Buckeyes: Setting Sights On OU Bobcats | B10 Whiparound | DONT OVERLOOK THE MID MAJORS The Ohio State Buckeyes are set for the battle of Ohio on Saturday night in Ohio Stadium. The OU Bobcats are making the trip north to take on Ohio State afte...

When the Bobcats roll into the Horseshoe on Saturday under the lights, the Buckeyes will have these three players circled on OU's defense.

#44 Nehemiah Dukes, DL

Nehemiah Dukes is a Youngstown State transfer who spent two seasons as a Penguin before transferring to OU. He stands at 6-foot-2 and is a stout 280 pounds on the interior of the Bobcats' defensive line. Dukes is in his junior year and off to a solid start. He has seven total tackles, including two solo stops and five assists. He has tallied one sack on the year.

#27 Jack Fries, LB

Jack Fries is the heart of the Bobcats' defense. He is their Sonny Styles and flies around like it. He stands at 6-foot-2 with a lighter 215-pound frame, but gets to the ball with bad intentions. The junior Cincinnati native leads the team with 15 tackles and three passes defensed. Fries patrols the middle of the field and is liable to create a turnover if quarterbacks aren’t accurate and on time over the middle.

#5 Adonis Williams Jr., S

Adonis Williams Jr. is a carbon copy of Fries in stature, but moves much better than the linebacker. The senior from Cleveland Heights has stayed true to the OU program for all four of his years and has seen a lot of winning football along the way.

This is his first year in a primarily starting role, and he is off to a fast start. Williams has 14 tackles to this point, pacing to blow his career total out of the water. He is still looking for his first interception of the season and the second of his college football tenure.

Though the Buckeyes will be heavy favorites for good reason, the Bobcats will show up with their best effort, and Ohio State better be ready to match it.