Ohio State's 2021 season kicks off in just over three months.
It was last May when we decided to take a look at the matchups facing the Buckeyes in 2020. The pandemic had other plans as the season was unlike any that we'd seen before. We didn't get to watch Larry Johnson's edge rushers go up against Penei Sewell or the Buckeye running backs dealing with Micah Parsons.
Fortunately, 2021 is shaping up to be a more typical season, and there are new matchups to be on the lookout for this fall.
Buckeye Linebackers vs. Mohamed Ibrahim
I don't think it's fair to call a season opener a "trap game" or anything like that since Ryan Day will surely have the Buckeyes ready for what the Twin Cities have to offer. The timing of the game against the Golden Gophers certainly could come at a better time, though. Al Washington lost his four top linebackers from a season ago, and it's now time for some of the inexperienced veterans to take over.
An opener against Florida Atlantic or even a team like Oregon State would be a different story. But that's not how it's going to be in 2021. Mohamed Ibrahim led the Big Ten in rushing last season with 1,076 yards and 15 touchdowns in seven games. He was second in America with 153.71 rushing yards per game. To make matters even worse for Ohio State's defense, the Gophs return all five starting offensive linemen and two others – Curtis Dunlap Jr. and Daniel Faalele – that missed the season due to injuries and COVID concerns.
This will obviously be a test for the defense as a whole, but Al Washington's new starters will immediately step into the spotlight on Sept. 2 in Minneapolis.
Ohio State's Tackles vs. Kayvon Thibodeaux
This is one of the matchups we were most excited for last season. Kayvon Thibodeaux is still projected to be a top NFL draft pick, but Thayer Munford and Nicholas Petit-Frere really elevated their play in 2020. Having both back in the trenches is great news for Greg Studrawa and the offensive line as a whole. If Oregon's defense lines up like it did last year, then Munford can expect to see the bulk of the action against the scary pass rusher.
The duo will have their hands full against Thibodeaux as he attempts to ruin the Buckeyes' home opener. Pro Football Focus lists Munford as the top returning tackle in the nation for 2021. Petit-Frere was excellent in his first season as a starter as well. Thibodeaux has recorded 12 sacks and 23.5 tackles for loss in his two seasons at Oregon.
Buckeye Pass Defense vs. Michael Penix Jr.
While Ohio State's defensive backfield gave up some big plays against Penn State, it was game No. 4 that really brought a sense of panic over the secondary. Michael Penix Jr. completed 27 of 51 pass attempts for 491 yards with five touchdowns and one interception. He threw for more yards and the same number of scores that Mac Jones did in Miami. It wasn't pretty, folks.
Though he is still rehabbing the torn ACL he suffered last season, Penix is expected to be healthy for the 2021 season. The Buckeyes head to Bloomington on Oct. 23 to face a passing attack that gave them all sorts of problems last year in Columbus. Whop Philyor is now suiting up for the Vikings, but Ty Fryfogle and the rest of the crew are back for the Hoosiers. Sevyn Banks and the Buckeye secondary have to be better this time around.
The Buckeye had no answer for Michael Penix Jr. last season in Columbus. Via Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports
Buckeye Rush Defense vs. Penn State Ground Game
Penn State has one of the country's most talented running back stables, but the talent doesn't matter all that much when key contributors are battling injuries. Devyn Ford, Keyvone Lee, and Caziah Holmes led the way in 2020, but the ground game struggled as Sean Clifford was actually the team's second-leading rusher.
Noah Cain had three carries on last season's opening drive against Indiana. That's all the action he'd see all year as a leg injury would put an unfortunate end to his sophomore campaign. Cain's return should be a big boost to James Franklin's 2021 ground attack. The Nittany Lions also return both starting tackles and one interior lineman in Stow, Ohio's Mike Miranda. Penn State heads to Columbus on Oct. 30, which should give the Ohio State linebackers plenty of time to settle in beforehand.
Buckeye Secondary vs. Boilermaker Wideouts
The 2018 game in West Lafayette was a forgettable one, and the Buckeyes will obviously be looking to avoid a repeat performance on Nov. 13 in Columbus. Indiana's passing game is particularly scary because of Michael Penix Jr. For the Boilermakers, it's more about the wideouts as neither Aidan O’Connell nor Jack Plummer has been all that spectacular under center.
Jeff Brohm has what is likely the league's best non-Buckeye wideout in junior David Bell. The Indianapolis native surpassed 1,000 yards and scored eight touchdowns as a true freshman. Last season he followed that up with 625 yards and eight scores in just six games. Milton Wright is a 6-foot-3, 195-pound junior who lines up on the outside opposite of Bell. He's pitched in with 593 yards and three scores through two seasons. This should be the best one-two punch the Buckeyes will face in the Big Ten.
We've obviously also got the Nov. 27 game in Ann Arbor, but I'm just not sure there's a matchup to really circle at this point. I suppose we can give an honorable mention to the Buckeye tackles going up against edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson. He played in just three games in 2020 before fracturing his leg. Hutchinson didn't record a sack last season, but he did have 4.5 sacks and 10 tackles for loss in 2019. A number of outlets are projecting him as an early-round draft pick in 2022.
What about the Ohio State defense versus Bryce Young, Spencer Rattler, or D.J. Uiagalelei? Here's to hoping we can cross that bridge come December.
