Northwestern vs Ohio State 12/1/18 - College Football Picks & Predictions

The eighth Big Ten Championship Game will take place on Saturday night, when the Northwestern Wildcats and Ohio State Buckeyes tangle at Lucas Oil Field. The 21st ranked Wildcats lost three of their first games and rallied to win eight of their final nine contests. On Saturday, Northwestern built a 21-point lead entering the fourth quarter and held on for a 26-16 home victory versus Illinois. Isaiah Brower rushed for 166 yards and Clayton Thorson threw for two touchdowns on the afternoon.

Through twelve games, Northwestern ranks 111th in the nation in total offense and is scoring 23.7 points on average. Ohio State features an underachieving defense that ranks 68th in yards allowed and gives up 25.8 points per game. The Ohio State Buckeyes won 11 games during the regular season and are still alive for a spot in the College Football Playoffs. The 10th ranked Buckeyes lone blemish came during a 49-29 road loss at Purdue. On Saturday, Ohio State continued their dominance over Michigan with an impressive 62-39 home victory. Dwayne Haskins threw for 396 yards and five touchdowns for the Buckeyes, who gained 567 yards of total offense on the afternoon.

For the season, Ohio State ranks second nationally in total offense and is scoring 43.3 points per contest. Northwestern leans heavily on a defense that allows 373 yards and 21.7 points on average.