COLUMBUS, Ohio — After pulling off a comeback win at Penn State, the Ohio State Buckeyes are back on the road this weekend as they face the Northwestern Wildcats on Saturday.
Head coach Ryan Day along with defensive coordinator Jim Knowles and passing game coordinator/wide receivers coach Brian Hartline spoke to the media Tuesday afternoon ahead of this week's matchup.
---
OHIO STATE VS. NORTHWESTERN: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
*Info provided by Ohio State Athletics
Quick Hitters
- Ohio State has scored 20-or-more points in 69 consecutive games to tie Oklahoma for the FBS record. (Source: BTN). Ohio State’s last game without scoring at least 20 points came in the 2017 season: a 31- 16 loss to Oklahoma at Ohio Stadium.
- Ohio State is 8-0 overall, 5-0 in the Big Ten Conference and has won nine consecutive games. Clemson (14 consecutive wins) and Georgia (10) are the only FBS schools with win streaks longer than Ohio State.
- Head coach Ryan Day has a record of 28-1 in Big Ten Conference games and has won 42 of his first 46 games as a head coach.
- C.J. Stroud has an Ohio State record of 20 straight games with at least one touchdown throw.
Buckeyes vs. Wildcats
The Series
- Ohio State and Northwestern last met in the regular season in 2019: a Friday evening contest at Ryan Field won by the Buckeyes, 52-3. Ohio State has outscored Northwestern, 191- 53, in the last four games at Ryan Field.
- The game will be the 80th in the series that began in 1913 with Ohio State holding a 64-14-1 advantage with nine consecutive victories. Ohio State leads the series in games played in Evanston, 29-6-1.
- Two of the last three games in this series were Big Ten Championship games (2018 and 2020) played at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
- The Buckeyes and Wildcats met in the 2018 and 2020 Big Ten Championship Games, both won by Ohio State (45-24 in 2018 and
22- 10 in 2020). The 2020 title was Ohio State’s fourth consecutive outright Big Ten championship and set a conference record.
Scouting Northwestern
- Quarterback Ryan Hilinski, a transfer from South Carolina, is 141-of-244 for 1,576 yards with six touchdown against six interceptions. He’s one of two quarterbacks who have seen extensive action this season for Northwestern, along with Brendan Sullivan (52-71, 416 yds., four TD).
- Evan Hull leads the rushing attack with 579 yards on 136 carries and three touchdowns. Hull’s average of 143.3 all-purpose yards per game ranks second in the Big Ten.
- At wide receiver, the duo of Malik Washington and Hull have combined for 88 receptions, 931 yards and three TDs.
- Linebacker Bryce Gallagher leads the team with 79 tackles and is second with 5.0 tackles for loss.
- In his 16th season, Pat Fitzgerald is the second-longest tenured Big Ten coach.