COLUMBUS, Ohio – After a stirring and tense 31-24 win over the Wisconsin Badgers in their Big Ten opener Saturday night, the 4th-ranked Buckeyes have to turn right around this weekend and prove themselves all over again when they travel to play No. 16 Northwestern in yet another primetime showdown, which will be televised nationally by ABC.
Urban Meyer said the Wildcats would be “a tough target.”
The win over the Buckeyes’ (5-0, 1-0) first quality opponent of the season did nothing to move them upward in the major college football polls, since all the teams ahead of them also won. Alabama remained No. 1 as the top five held their spots for the third consecutive week. Oregon was No. 2, Clemson third, followed by Ohio State and Stanford.
Ohio State – the only 5-0 team in the rankings – was ranked No. 3 in “USA Today,” behind Alabama and Oregon.
Notre Dame dropped out of The Associated Press poll after losing its second game of the season and Arizona State moved in after the Sun Devils’ win prompted Southern California to fire coach Lane Kiffin.
The mood was subdued in the Ohio State locker room after a big win over Wisconsin late on Saturday night thanks to the news that safety Christan Bryant suffered a broken ankle. He has already had surgery and will be out for three months. He is a senior and his career is most likely over.
In his return, Braxton Miller threw for 198 yards and four touchdowns and ran for 83 more yards, setting a new career record for rushing yards by an Ohio State quarterback.