Week 6 Predictions – 2024
Last Week: The Buckeyes gave up one short field touchdown but otherwise had no issues dispatching Michigan State 38-7 in East Lansing. Ohio State improves to 4-0 but did not get any additional lift in the polls. But as they say, the important polls don’t really come out until next month. As for our staff predictions, five were perfect at 4-0 including Andy, John, Rick, Steven and Gregg. As always, much better than the ‘experts on ESPN GameDay.
This Week’s Games: Ohio State returns to the friendly Horseshoe to take on the stingy Hawkeyes. Iowa has surprised the Buckeyes twice in the past ten years, but can they pull off an upset again this season? …. Action starts for us again on Friday with Syracuse traveling to the city of lights in the middle of the desert to take on the Running Rebels. UNLV has been a surprise team this year and is currently positioned to get the Group of 5 playoff spot. Can Syracuse avoid the lights of Vegas and come back to New York with the win? …. UCLA will take on Penn State in Happy Valley. The Bruins so far have probably been the least effective of the west coast teams that joined the B1G, can they turn that around and surprise the experts with a win? …. Michigan State will go from playing Ohio State last week to taking on the other team that is expected to play in Indy in December for the title. Sparty goes to Oregon to play the Ducks but will they have enough in the tank to win?
Buckeye Greats: As in the past, we will continue to include former Buckeye players in our prediction fun, and we are thrilled to have Vaughn Broadnax back with us as a regular participant for the tenth straight year.
Here we go with our Week 6 Picks – Good Luck to All – Gregg
Iowa @ (3)Ohio State
Vaughn Broadnax (OSU-RB 1980-83): Iowa may possess the defense to actually gauge exactly where the Buckeyes’ offense actually stands. Iowa’s running game will also provide perfect measure and tell us where our defense stands in the trenches. I think both do very well and OSU hawk tuas the Hawkeyes 45-10.
Andy: This game has the potential to be much closer than I think a lot of OSU fans want to accept. Iowa has one of the best defenses in the country and their running back Kaleb Johnson is one of the best running backs in the country averaging 8.4 yards per carry and 2 rushing touchdowns in each game this season. Ohio State has one simple job on defense, stop the run and one simple job on offense which is to sustain long drives to wear down the Hawkeyes defense and finish the game with at least one more point than Iowa. I expect this one to be tough especially into the third and fourth quarter. Ohio State 26 Iowa 14
Cory: It’s Iowa’s first season without Brian Ferentz as the offensive coordinator, and things are, well, not much better. The Hawkeyes are 3-1 but they fell to Iowa State in their only test so far this season. Quarterback Cade McNamara has not shown any signs of growth – he’s taken more sacks (4) than he has total touchdowns (3) this season. So, what exactly does Iowa bring to the table? The Hawkeyes have a terrific running game led by standout back Kaleb Johnson. Johnson is averaging 8.4 yards per carry, and has nine touchdowns this season, so the Buckeyes will have to focus on stopping him. Teams that run well have given Ohio State trouble, but that’s typically been more from the QB position than RB. Still, I expect to see a very similar offense from Ohio State this week as we did last week. Lots of running ball and getting the ball into the hands of the playmakers. Iowa is better than Michigan State so I’m not expecting a big blowout. Ohio State 35, Iowa 17
Dave: Ohio State 32 Iowa 14
Gregg: As the season moves into the fifth game for the Buckeyes, they have pretty much had the opportunity to feature their offensive weapons. Will Howard has done a solid job leading the offense and has one of the highest scoring offenses in the nation. It is clear the Buckeyes are loaded at both running back and wide receiver. The defense has done a great job avoiding the big plays and keeping the other team out of the end zone. So once again, this should be a game they can call their score. Ohio State will be sporting the all-gray jersey which simply means more jersey sales. Ohio State 45 Iowa 10
Joe-S-U: OSU over Iowa- at what point will CBS drag out footage of the 1985 matchup in a torrential downpour?
John: Ohio State
Josh: The Buckeyes have their final tune up before the Oregon game next week, and one thing Ryan Day has done well at since taking over as Ohio State is not losing to an unranked opponent, and having an upset game like Urban had with Purdue in 2018, and Iowa in 2017. I know they will be focused for this one and know the challenge that the Hawkeyes defense will bring to this game. I also anticipate that Iowa will try to keep the ball out of the hands of the Buckeyes as much as they can, so they will have a heavy dose of run game and short passes to try and keep the Silver Bullets honest. I think the talent though is too much, and Chip Kelly will have a few tricks up his sleeve and Ohio State moved to 5-0. Ohio State 42 – Iowa 10
Steven: This will be the toughest defense Ohio State has faced so far this year. Iowa is ranked 18th in the nation in total defense. Unfortunately for them, they are coming to town to meet the number 2 rated team in the nation for total defense and 31 in scoring defense. Be careful what you wish for, I guess. Despite the relative offensive renaissance the Hawkeyes have experienced this year after the team moved on from nepotism poster-boy Brian Ferentz as their offensive coordinator, their 32 points per game is 17 points behind what the Bucks are scoring. Iowa averages 250 on the ground per game (63% of their offense) and the Bucks, so far, are giving up around 62. Shut down the run and you win the game. Last week Caleb downs was superior in run support. I expect the same this week. OSU plays boa constrictor and strangles the Hawkeye offense. Oh, and the Buckeye offense scores at will and is only limited by how much they want to play the starters. OSU 48-13
Trout: This should be a tougher challenge for Ohio State than what they’ve faced the previous four games. Iowa isn’t a great team, but they have a solid defense. I can see the Hawkeyes slowing down the Buckeyes for a while and keeping the game close. However, Ohio State is the better team, and they will eventually be able to pull away. They may not score 40s or 50s like they had in previous week, but they should be able to find the endzone a few times, and beat Iowa by double digits. Iowa will manage to hang with the Buckeyes for a while, but Ohio State’s superior talent will shine through and they will begin to separate themselves. (Ohio State 35-17)
Final Score: Ohio State 35 Iowa 7
Syracuse @ (25)UNLV
Vaughn Broadnax (OSU-RB 1980-83): Syracuse has seen a lot of improvement this year, but came down to reality. UNLV lost their starting QB, and the backup may just be a tad better. I see UNLV staying undefeated and downing the Orange 35-24.
Andy: Syracuse has been a pleasant surprise so far behind transfer quarterback Kyle McCord starting the season 3-1 despite being one of the worst power 5 teams last year. UNLV is undefeated, but I believe this is fool’s gold as they have played very weak competition up until this point. If Kyle can stay in the pocket and his offensive line keeps him clean, I see Syracuse winning this. Syracuse 33 UNLV 27
Cory: Syracuse already has one upset this season. Can the Orange make it two? UNLV is not only the home team but the Rebels are ranked No. 25 on the strength of their 4-0 start. They will be without quarterback Matthew Sluka, who left the team over concerns about his NIL deal. Sluka was not just the team’s leading passer, he was also their leading rusher. Hajj Malik-Williams got his first start last week and was terrific, putting up 301 total yards and four touchdowns. Syracuse will need a big game from former Buckeye quarterback Kyle McCord. The Orange are a pass-heavy offense – they’ve got 1,000 more passing yards than they do rushing yards. McCord has been great for Syracuse this far, and his ability to stay cool will help in the road environment. I like Syracuse to pull the upset and hand UNLV their first loss. Syracuse 31, UNLV 28
Dave: UNLV 32 Syracuse 28
Gregg: Kyle McCord seems to have found a second home in Syracuse, certainly wish him the best and he has been giving the Orangemen is best since joining the team. I do think Ohio State wins the bowl game over Missouri with no problem if he did duck out on the team, but I understand his logic too. UNLV on the other hand has started the season 4-0 and was really rolling with their starting quarterback until he quit over his NIL deal. But they took care of business without him, and I think they do the same again this week over Syracuse. UNLV 24 Syracuse 17
Joe-S-U: UNLV over Syracuse- want to congratulate the Rebels for their first-ever appearance in our picks…I think? (answer, yes!)
John: Syracuse
Josh: A surprising game for a non-conference matchup with arguably one of the top teams for the Group of 5 against a Power 4 team. Something that UNLV can do to help its playoff chances is a win, which would put it above Boise State in regards to get a higher opportunity, and those teams will square off on October 25th, and potentially on more time for the Mountain West Championship. I like the Rebels in this one, especially with Syracuse having to travel across country for this game. UNLV 35 – Syracuse 28
Steven: This one’s odd even before the era or realignment. Syracuse heads to the desert to face the #25 Rebels of UNLV. Ex. OSU QB Kyle McCord is completing close to 70% of his pass attempts and has the Orangmen in the hunt for the ACC title. McCord and Syracuse go against a top 15 defense in UNLV, so this won’t be a walk in the park. After recent events, where UNLV lost their starting QB over an NIL payment dispute, it may have been easily thought that there would be a big drop-off with his replacement. Not so fast, my friend. Apparently the casino guys spend their money well. Reserve QB Hajj-Mailk Williams lit up Fresno State in a 13/16, 182 yard effort. Two very good QBs will be able to showcase their stuff Saturday night, but it is the defenses that will determine the outcome. UNLV comes out on top in this one and should win the game. Rebs 28-20.
Trout: I think this game will be close, but I have to give the edge to the Rebels. I think both have solid options at quarterback. Syracuse’s McCord has always played well, just maybe not at the level that Buckeye fans expect. And WIlliams for UNLV played really well after the starter for this year quit the team. I think why I am giving the edge to UNLV is because of William’s running ability. He was able to run for over 100 yards against Fresno State. This is a skill that McCord just doesn’t have. The game should be close up until the end, with various lead changes throughout. But in the end, the Rebels pull ahead and the Orange aren’t able to answer. (UNLV, 31-24)
Final Score: Syracuse 44 UNLV 41 OT
UCLA @ (7)Penn State
Vaughn Broadnax (OSU-RB 1980-83): Penn State plays conservatively and still welcomes UCLA rudely with what I believe is their first white out experience 42-9.
Andy: UCLA is one of the worst teams in the Big Ten, they’re terrible. We saw Indiana go to UCLA and absolutely push them around the entire game and finish the game in blow out fashion. Penn State is a legit playoff contender this year. Quarterback Drew Allar is playing up to his potential, the Nittany Lions have an excellent run game to support him and one of the best defenses in the Big Ten. I don’t see any way UCLA wins this game unless Penn State forgets to show up. Penn State 34 UCLA 13
Cory: A brutal schedule does not get any easier this week for UCLA. The Bruins are coming off losses to Indiana, LSU, and Oregon, and now they travel all the way across the country for a noon kickoff at Penn State. UCLA does not really threaten much offensively. Their defense is OK but with how much they’re on the field they get worn down. Penn State is coming off an impressive win over Illinois and should not have much trouble in this one. Penn State 41, UCLA 10
Dave: Penn State 28 UCLA 14
Gregg: This one should not really be close, the Bruins have should me nothing all year, Lions roll. Penn State 38 UCLA 7
Joe-S-U: Penn State over UCLA- I suppose someone has to finish last in an 18-team league.
John: Penn State
Josh: For Penn State, this challenge will be a bit easier than the one they had against the Illini last week. I think UCLA is still working on their identity, and are not yet ready to compete yet against the Big Ten teams that can control the line of scrimmage. Additionally, I think the Penn State defense will force turnovers in this game to limit the Bruins possessions. Penn State 38 – UCLA 13
Steven: UCLA is not good. It is not surprising that Chip Kelly high-tailed it out of UCLA to have a shot at coaching a real contender. The Bruins are in the lower quarter in the nation both in scoring and total defense, whereas Penn State is in the top quarter in scoring and total offense. As a comparison, UCLA is scoring less than Kent State. Just looking at the average point differential, disaster looms for the Fuzzy Sweater Mafia. Penn State 42-9.
Trout: I think the book is out on the Nittany Lions this year. They are not a great team. They may sneak into the playoff this year as one of the lower seeds, but they aren’t going very far. Having said that, they should be able to beat the Bruins with no issue. UCLA is a very bad team. Their only win is against an even worse Hawaii team. Penn State should be able to handle them on both sides of the ball. It may not be a complete blow out, because Penn State has had an issue letting lesser teams stick around for longer than they should, but they should win by a few scores. UCLA loses and remains winless in the Big Ten. (Penn State, 31-10)
Final Score: Penn State x UCLA x
Michigan State @ (6)Oregon
Vaughn Broadnax (OSU-RB 1980-83) Michigan State: may not seem to be a match for Oregon on paper. However, John Smith coached at Oregon State and is very familiar with the Ducks’ game. I am not predicting an upset, but it won’t be a cakewalk. Oregon edges Sparty 31-28.
Andy: After watching the Spartans vs OSU last week, it is clear that MSU is a well coached football team. Their roster is what is limiting them so much from being a solid football team. I think first year coach Jonathan Smith has done a really good job with his team so far. Oregon is still one of the best teams in the country and Oregon looked much better in the past two games than they did in their first two. Oregon’s lines of scrimmage looked much tougher the past two weeks and their offense was able to push the ball downfield more effectively now. I think Oregon is building momentum and they’ll look to do that again this week against Michigan State. Oregon 34 Michigan State 17
Cory: Despite the lopsided score last week, I actually thought Michigan State looked pretty good. It’s obvious how much influence first-year head coach Jonathan Smith has imposed upon this team, and Aidan Chiles is a young quarterback with some real potential. Oregon is still undefeated, but they have yet to impress. The Ducks are too one-dimensional on offense, as they rely way too much on the passing game with Dillon Gabriel. The difference in this game is a cross-country trip for Michigan State. If this was in East Lansing I would be more likely to call for the upset. I still think something big is brewing for Michigan State, but don’t expect to see it this week. Oregon 28, Michigan State 10
Dave: Oregon 32 Michigan State 12
Gregg: Michigan State is coming off their loss to the Buckeyes, Oregon might be looking ahead to their game versus Ohio State next week. But if they look ahead they could fall into a trap. I expect the Spartans to give them trouble but not have enough to capture the victory. Oregon 38 Michigan State 20
Joe-S-U: Oregon over MSU- get your scouting hats on and see what’s coming next Saturday night.
John: Oregon
Josh: Oregon’s final tune up before the show down against the Buckeyes. The Spartans have some talent at receiver, and their success will be about what Aiden Chiles can do. Boise State set the blueprint, and the Ducks are not strong against the run, so we might see the Spartan QB make more plays with his legs. Oregon though I think has an explosive offense and will put this game away in the 3rd quarter. Oregon 35 – Michigan State 17.
Steven: MSU QB Aiden Chiles flashed some potential last week against the Bucks, but faded in the second half as the constant defensive pressure wore him and the Spartan offense down. Things don’t get much easier this week. Oregon’s defense is comparable from a yardage perspective, but the Ducks are giving up about 10 more points per game than the Bucks. Despite giving up a little more, Oregon more than makes up for it on the offensive end, scoring 36 points per game, against a little under 22 per game for MSU. Oregon 38-17.
Trout: The Ducks should win this game. They are by far the better team. Sparty showed some moxie early on against the Buckeyes, but it was pretty obvious that they were not going to be able to sustain that momentum. Michigan State may get there eventually, but not against the Ducks. Oregon may not be the world beater that the pundits thought they would be in the beginning of the season, but they are still a really good team. I can see Sparty getting a few scores on them, but the Ducks should be able to counter and then eventually surpass them. Oregon wins and remains unbeaten as they head into their game with Ohio State next week. (Oregon, 34-13)