Keep an eye on this key matchup during the Ohio State Buckeyes' week five battle against the Washington Huskies.

After starting the season on a three-game win streak, the Ohio State Buckeyes are now tasked with taking on the Washington Huskies in week five.

This marks head coach Ryan Day and his squad's first Big Ten Conference matchup of the season, as well as the next big test for the program. And while the Huskies' primary attack on offense relies heavily on the run game, the most underrated battle that could impact the result of the contest will be between Ohio State cornerback Davison Igbinosun and Washington wide receiver Denzel Boston.

The former three-star wide receiver prospect in the 2022 recruiting class became a huge focal point of the Huskies' offensive attack in 2024, tallying 834 receiving yards and nine touchdowns on 63 catches. And with quarterback Demond William Jr. taking over at the helm this season, Boston continues to thrive in head coach Jedd Fisch's offense, recording 16 catches for 249 yards and three touchdowns this season.

With a perfect combination of size (6-foot-4, 209 lbs.) and speed, Boston possesses the capability to win at all three levels of the field, making him a tough matchup for Igbinosun on Saturday. However, when discussing the battle between Boston and Igbinosun, head coach Ryan Day told reporters earlier this week that his star cornerback is up for the challenge "because he loves competition."

"He always wants to play against the best," Day said. "This is a really good receiver, so a great challenge for him, but we all know he'll be up for it because he loves competition."

Saturday's matchup against Boston will not be the first time this season that Igbinosun encounters a highly-touted receiver. In week one, the star cornerback had to face the likes of the Texas Longhorns' talented pass catching core. Luckily for Igbinosun and the rest of the secondary unit, the Buckeyes managed to hold both Ryan Wingo and Parker Livingstone to a combined four catches for 82 yards and one touchdown in the primetime contest.

But Saturday's game against Boston will be an excellent opportunity for Igbinosun and the rest of Ohio State's defense to face off against a wide receiver that is projected to be selected in round one of the 2026 NFL Draft. The Buckeyes' defense handled a load of NFL-level receivers in 2024, including Texas' Matthew Golden. Unfortunately for the program, the defense lost multiple key playmakers from last season, along with the team's defensive coordinator in Jim Knowles.

Instead, newly-hired defensive coordinator Matt Patricia must find a way to limit Boston through the air with the help of some new faces in the secondary. Junior cornerback Jermaine Mathews Jr. has already begun to show flashes of his true potential after recording an interception against Texas in week one. And with star safety Caleb Downs helping out in the pass defense, the Buckeyes, with the right game plan, could find a way to limit Boston.