Here are three keys to victory as the Ohio State Buckeyes are back in action on Saturday against the Minnesota Golden Gophers inside the Horseshoe.

The Ohio State Buckeyes are back inside Ohio Stadium in Week 6 against the frisky Minnesota Golden Gophers. On paper, this is a lopsided matchup between teams on two different trajectories.

We covered it all week that statistically, the Gophers have a top-10 defense in the country, but context absolutely matters. In week two against the Northwestern State Demons, they gave up just 43 yards of total offense. That number is an anchor to the rest of their games, as they were in a dogfight with Buffalo in week one, they lost to Cal in week three, and they barely outlasted the Rutgers Scarlet Knights last week.

Minnesota needs a miracle to keep it close against Ohio State on Saturday. 

For the Buckeyes, this is yet another opportunity for them to continue on their path back to the College Football Playoff. The challenge between focusing on the opponent at hand while preparing for the bigger picture is a tough balancing act, but one that the Buckeyes can handle.

Here are three keys to victory for the Buckeyes on Saturday Night.

Ohio State: Previewing the Buckeyes' Matchup with the Minnesota Golden Gophers The Ohio State Buckeyes head home for a matchup with the Minnesota Golden Gophers on Saturday night inside the Horseshoe. The Gophers' defense is formidable,...

1. Unlock the Offense

Saturday is a great opportunity for Ohio State to open up its offense and really take the training wheels off of redshirt freshman quarterback Julian Sayin.

At this point in the year, they have tried to protect him from making mistakes. This approach has led them to a dominant 4-0 record, but at some point this season, Sayin will need to be the reason the Buckeyes win. Saturday against Minnesota is a perfect game to give him a little bit more leash than normal, allowing him to test his limits.

2. Defensive Line Domination

I have been on record saying that Ohio State's defensive line needs to play better. Luckily for the Buckeyes and the defensive coordinator, last week in Washington was their coming-out party.

Senior defensive end Caden Curry led the way with his impressive three-sack performance. This week against Minnesota, Curry and the defensive front must build on what they did last week.

Can they continue to become a dominant force with four future NFL players behind them?

3. Score in the Redzone

The most surprising storyline from the Ohio State offense this season is its struggles in the low red zone.

Against the Ohio Bobcats in week three, head coach Ryan Day's offense could not find the endzone on three separate occasions. Those red zone struggles showed up again last week against Washington, immediately on the first drive when they failed to convert a fourth and one inside the ten-yard line.

Precise execution is required in the red zone, and the Buckeyes have not excelled in those situations. Saturday, they need to be perfect every time the offense is in the red zone. The focus should not be on putting points on the board, but should be scoring touchdowns