The Ohio State Buckeyes must overcome this daunting hurdle in week six against the Minnesota Golden Gophers.
After an impressive undefeated start to the 2025 college football season, it’s clear that the Ohio State Buckeyes are one of the most talented teams in the nation.
The defense, led by newly hired defensive coordinator Matt Patricia, has consistently proven to be a matchup nightmare for opposing offenses. Ohio State’s lethal combination of linebackers Arvell Reese and Sonny Styles continues to help the unit’s efforts this year, while safety Caleb Downs remains one of the best defensive backs at the collegiate level.
And while the Buckeyes’ defense may go down as the best in program history, the offense is still trying to find its identity heading into Big Ten Conference play this season. Redshirt freshman quarterback Julian Sayin has quickly become the hottest playmaker across the college football landscape, but head coach Ryan Day continues to simplify the playbook to ease his young quarterback into his new role.
With Sayin being limited in the passing game, many expect the offense to rely on the run game. However, this has been far from the case through the team’s first four games of the 2025 season.
Last year, Ohio State’s run game was dominated, thanks to the dynamic one-two punch of TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins. But with both running backs off to the NFL, Day has yet to receive the same efficiency from CJ Donaldson.
This has led to the emergence of freshman rusher Bo Jackson, who exploded onto the scene in the last three games. The former 2025 four-star prospect currently leads the team in rushing yards this season with 297 yards on 35 carries.
Unfortunately for the offense, the lack of stability within the running back room could cause problems for the Buckeyes in week six when they take on the Minnesota Golden Gophers at home.
Head coach PJ Fleck has done a terrific job of getting the best out of his players so far this season, as the Golden Gophers come into the highly anticipated matchup with a 3-1 record. One of the main contributors to the program’s recent success has been the defense, which has allowed an average of 65.5 rushing yards per game through four games.
The Buckeyes, outside of their week one victory over the Texas Longhorns, have yet to face a stout defensive front that excels against the run game. Ohio State managed to tally 149 rushing yards in week five against the Washington Huskies, but the run game did not become a factor until Sayin and the passing game gave the team a lead heading into the second half of the contest.
In order for the Buckeyes to overcome Fleck’s impressive run defense, Day must follow a similar game plan to the one he presented against the Huskies. This means the offense must lean on Sayin earlier in the contest to allow the team to get out to an early advantage over the Golden Gophers. If Sayin and his incredible group of pass catchers can break Minnesota’s defense from the opening drive, Day can eventually focus on the run game.