The Ohio State Buckeyes' defense has its biggest challenge to date on Saturday afternoon against the Washington Huskies.

The early returns on the Ohio State Buckeyes' defense show that it has the tools to be one of the best units in America yet again. It boasts the best athletes in the country and is led by two of the smartest players in football, Caleb Downs and Sonny Styles. 

It's been a full calendar month since the Buckeyes have been challenged the way they will be on Saturday in Washington. After back-to-back solid performances against subpar teams in Grambling State and Ohio University, the scarlet and gray will have their hands full against the Huskies.

Ohio State Buckeyes: Previewing the OSU Defense Against the Washington Offense The Ohio State Buckeyes are grearing up for a huge matchup against the Washington Huskies on Saturday afternoon in the Upper Northwest. Ohio State will have ...

On the bright side, by facing the Silver Bullets, the Huskies will too. This is the first time they will be playing a national opponent in college football's top tier.

Something will have to give on Saturday, as both teams have an impressive streak on the line.

Washington has won 22 straight home games inside Husky Stadium, dating back to a Washington State loss in 2021. The Buckeyes are risking a 19-game road win streak against unranked opponents, which began after 2018's nasty loss to the Purdue Boilermakers.

One of those will be snapped in Week 5.

This will be the seventh matchup between these teams and only the second time these two programs have played in Seattle. Their first meeting came over 30 years ago in 1993 at the Horseshoe, where the Buckeyes won. The ensuing season, Ohio State headed west and suffered its only loss at the hands of the Huskies.

The 2018 Rose Bowl was the most recent battle; the Buckeyes narrowly defeated the Huskies 28-23.

There are three players to look out for on the Huskies' offense.

Washington goes as its quarterback, Demond Williams Jr. goes. Williams is the team's second-leading rusher and has thrown for almost 800 yards already in this young season. 

His top target is wide receiver Denzel Boston, who has 249 yards on 16 catches for the Huskies. He has found the end zone three times and is far and away Washington's best receiver.

If Williams doesn't have the ball, Jonah Coleman is the workhorse on the ground. He has 350 yards on 51 carries and has punched it into the end zone nine times. Coleman leads all of the NCAA in rushing touchdowns this year.

Ohio State's defense will have its hands full when the Huskies have the ball, but it is still one of the top groups in the country, maybe even the top group. It is up to the Buckeyes to stay dominant on defense because this matchup could be Saturday's determining factor.