Northwestern at Ohio State College Football: Everything You Need To Know

COLUMBUS, OH - Winning in Columbus, Ohio, is never an easy task and now Northwestern faces an Ohio State team that is coming off an upset loss to Penn State.

The Wildcats are riding high, though, as they enter the match-up on a season-high three game winning streak. On Saturday, Northwestern beat a competitive Indiana team 24-14 at home. The Wildcats jumped on the Hoosiers early, taking a 24-3 lead behind three touchdown passes from Clayton Thorson (24 of 43 for 285 yards). Austin Carr was the main recipient of Thorson’s passes as he caught seven passes for 125 yards and a score. Running back Justin Jackson paced the Wildcats on the ground with 94 yards on 28 carries. Northwestern will have to match that energy if the Wildcats are to keep up with the Buckeyes.

Ohio State’s season took a surprising turn Saturday when the unbeaten and No. 2-ranked Buckeyes fell 24-21 at Penn State. Ohio State led 21-7 heading into the fourth quarter before the Nittany Lions scored 17 consecutive points to pull off the upset. The winning score came when Penn State blocked a Buckeye field goal attempt and ran it back 60 yards for a touchdown. Quarterback J.T. Barrett was effective in the air, as he passed for 245 yards and a touchdown. He wasn’t the all-around threat he usually is, though, as he carried the ball 17 times for only 26 yards. The Buckeyes recorded 168 yards on the ground, led by Curtis Samuel, who only had two rushing attempts but still gained 71 yards and added a touchdown.

Kickoff time: 3:30 p.m. ET
TV and radio: ESPN, WGN Radio, AM 720
Point spread: Ohio State is favored by 21.5 points, according to scores and odds.
Tickets: Tickets are available at Ticketmaster.com.

ALSO ON PATCH: Northwestern Wildcats 2016 Football Schedule: Where and When to Watch the Games