Ohio State’s football opponent on Sept. 27 has seen a decrease in the point-spread margin as the game approaches due to their strong play in Week 4. One former coach believes Ohio State should be on upset watch.
On an episode of “Inside College Football” on CBS Sports, former Washington coach Rick Neuheisel confidently picked his former team to beat the Buckeyes at Husky stadium on Sept. 27.
His reasoning? Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin’s inexperience on the road, citing Washington’s upset against Miami football in 2000.
“We won that Miami game because Ken Dorsey was a freshman quarterback for Miami,” Neuheisel said. “All the other pieces were in place, but he wasn’t ready for that kind of scene, that kind of crowd involvement.”
With Neuheisel in 2000, No. 15 Washington stunned No. 4 Miami 34-29 while Dorsey was the quarterback. However, Neuheisel was wrong. Dorsey, who had a record of 38-2 as a starter for Miami, was a sophomore when he played Washington, having already started three games in his freshman season for the Hurricanes.
However, Dorsey’s game against the Huskies was his first road game of his college career as a starter. He threw for 215 yards and had one passing touchdown, but completed only 44.1% of his passes in the loss.
“Here comes Julian Sayin for his first game on the road,” Neuheisel said, “and he’s been marvelous, almost 80% as a passer, but I’m gonna take the Dawgs in a big-time upset.”
The former Washington coach also commended Huskies quarterback Demond Williams Jr.’s impressive play against Washington State during the Huskies’ Week 4 win. The sophomore earned Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors in the effort.
“Demond Williams is a hell of a player, a really good player, and I think he’s going to prove that with this team, not only with his arm, but with his legs,” Neuheisel said. “I don’t worry about their [Washington’s] offense. I worry about their defense. Can they hold up against a big-time offensive line, a big-time offensive group?”
When is the Ohio State-Washington football game?
Ohio State football is set to play Washington at Husky Stadium on Sept. 27 at 3:40 p.m.
What channel is the Ohio State-Washington football game on?
The Ohio State-Washington game will air on CBS. The broadcast is set to begin at 3:40 p.m. ET Sept. 27.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Former Washington football coach Rick Neuheisel picks Huskies to upset Ohio State
Reporting by Dan Aulbach, Columbus Dispatch / The Columbus Dispatch
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
