After Ohio State showed it is a team to be reckoned with in the Big Ten and nationally with a win over No. 3 Penn State, the Buckeyes head back home to the banks of the Olentangy to take on against a now-tied Purdue team. seven losses in a row after winning the season opener.

OSU is a heavy favorite in a game that’s expected to be little more than a speed bump on the way to a potential big game against Indiana in a few weeks, but in today’s college football, even the best teams can do that. don’t take anyone lightly.

We want to dissect the game Ohio State plays each week from different angles, and in this one we’re going to give you five bold predictions for the game. Keep in mind that these are bold ones, and not the most likely, so make sure your Scarlet and Gray underwear isn’t in a bunch.

So, without further delay, here are five bold predictions for the Buckeyes vs. Boilermakers on Saturday at 12 noon.

Ohio State rushes for over 250 yards

Why it will happen

Yes, that’s a big number, but there’s reason to believe we could see Ohio State’s rushing attack explode. Purdue gave up over 300 yards on the ground against Notre Dame in the second game of the year, and OSU just finished putting up 170 yards on the ground against a very good Penn State rushing defense.

The offensive line seemed to find something with personnel and mentality last week, and you can bet the coaching staff will look to continue that momentum by continuing to show that it wasn’t just a blip of a week. experience.

Ohio State will have over 600 yards of offense

Why it will happen

Maybe this isn’t that big of a deal, but putting more than 600 yards on offense doesn’t happen that often. Surprisingly, Ohio Sate has already done this once this season, when it racked up 683 yards of offense against Western Michigan in the second game of the year.

OSU should be able to get Purdue off the field and maximize possessions and plays, putting up a lot of yards against a defense that has struggled mightily this season. Look for some Chip Kelly pinball type numbers and the foul in this one.

James Peoples gets at least 50 yards rushing

Why it will happen

Everyone knows Ohio State’s dynamic running back duo of Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson. There’s concern about what’s in the closet behind those two, but you might get used to playing backup James Peoples in this one.

Look for the Buckeyes to put this one out of reach early and start filtering out some second- and third-string players to keep everyone healthy and provide some playing time for development. With that in mind, Peoples will get a lot of time in this and have every opportunity to put up some numbers. We say he goes at least 50 yards in this one.

Carnell Tate will catch two touchdown passes

Why it will happen

Carnell Tate is known as the third option in the passing game behind the two superstars Emeka Egbuka and Jeremiah Smith. That’s not a bad third option, but expect him to get more targets today as Smith and Egbuka may sit early.

If the game gets out of hand, Tate will most likely remain in the game for further development, making him the No. 1 option with more targets than usual. It will all pay off if he hauls in two touchdown passes.

Ohio State will give up three scores on defense

Why it will happen

Purdue is only scoring 20.3 points per game, which would lead you to believe that it will be extremely difficult to score against one of the best defenses in the country. However, look for a little letdown for the OSU defense in this one.

It’s hard to be at the top of your game every week, and similar to what we saw against Nebraska, human nature can kick in and breed a mentality of taking an opponent a little too lightly. The Buckeyes seem to have the best chance of any team, and that will happen again here, but to a lesser extent. An offense that has been far from explosive will score at least three times on the OSU defense because of backups and a bit of a breather from last week.

Contact/Follow us @BuckeyesWire on To follow Phil Harrison on X.

This article originally appeared on Buckeyes Wire: 5 Bold Predictions for Ohio State vs. Purdue Saturday