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College football Week 1 schedule and predictions

By Nicholas Ian Allen

ATLANTA, GA - DECEMBER 31: Head Coach Nick Saban and the Alabama Crimson Tide team take the field during the 2016 Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl at the Georgia Dome on December 31, 2016 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA - DECEMBER 31: Head Coach Nick Saban and the Alabama Crimson Tide team take the field during the 2016 Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl at the Georgia Dome on December 31, 2016 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /
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GLENDALE, AZ – DECEMBER 31: J.T. Barrett (Photo by Jennifer Stewart/Getty Images)
GLENDALE, AZ – DECEMBER 31: J.T. Barrett (Photo by Jennifer Stewart/Getty Images) /

No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes at Indiana Hoosiers

Kickoff: Thursday Aug. 31, 8:00 p.m., ESPN

We’re in for a rare treat Thursday night as the Big Ten favorite Ohio State Buckeyes travel to Bloomington to kick off conference play against Indiana. The Buckeyes hope to shake off the rust of a long offseason, and the embarrassment of a 31-0 loss to eventual national champion Clemson in the College Football Playoff semifinal in the Fiesta Bowl.

Ohio State at Indiana: Three Things to Watch

1. Ohio State QB J.T. Barrett

It wasn’t that long ago J.T. Barrett was an All-American and Heisman Trophy candidate, but the senior signal caller has had ups and downs since his season-ending injury ahead of Ohio State’s 2014 national championship run.

Last season, Barrett completed 61.5 percent of his passes for 2,555 yards and 24 touchdowns with just seven interceptions, and he added 845 rushing yards and nine touchdowns. The Buckeyes must replace their top three receivers from last season, but with Barrett leading the charge, Ohio State should have no trouble scoring points in 2017.

2. An Improved Indiana Defense

After allowing an ugly 36.5 points and 504 total yards of offense per game in 2016, Indiana made big strides defensively under defensive coordinator Tom Allen last season. The Hoosiers cut the damage to 25.8 points and 380.1 total yards per contest last year, and Allen – hired to replace head coach Kevin Wilson in large part because of that improvement – welcomes nine starters back from that unit, including All-Conference candidates in linebacker Tegray Scales and defensive backs Rashard Fant and Jonathan Crawford.

3. New Ohio State OC Kevin Wilson

Kevin Wilson led the Hoosiers to back-to-back bowl games, but Indiana let him go due to ideological differences. Urban Meyer snatched up the former Oklahoma offensive coordinator as his new OC, and Wilson’s familiarity with the Indiana roster is a huge asset in the season opener. The Hoosiers defense reportedly watched film of the 2016 Indiana offense to prepare for Ohio State’s new play-caller.

Prediction:

Week 1 can be a minefield, and it’s never easy to open the season against a conference opponent on the road. Expect a close first quarter, but for Ohio State’s talent edge to show late.

Ohio State 41, Indiana 13

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