The Horseshoe will host a top-10 matchup on Saturday night as No. 10 Nebraska visits No. 6 Ohio State — and both teams have plenty to play for. Both have suffered a single loss but are still in position to snag a College Football Playoff berth if the teams ahead of them slip up. Neither can afford a second loss, though, so stakes are high in Columbus.
Nebraska vs. Ohio State live stream 2016: How to watch online and what to know
The Buckeyes are heavy favorites, but have looked shaky as of late. Here’s everything to know about this game, real quick.
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Ohio State is an undeniably talented team, but it has scuffled badly over the past few weeks. J.T. Barrett has accounted for one single touchdown over the past two games, which just isn’t good enough. The Buckeyes need a better effort from him, as well as the two-headed running back combo of Mike Weber and Curtis Samuel to put the Huskers away.
Nebraska’s luck has evened out after a horrendous 2015 season, and its 7-1 record is proof. Quarterback Tommy Armstrong is running more than he did last year, which gives the offense a different dimension since he won’t really scare anyone as a passer. The Huskers are only the No. 22 team in the nation according to S&P+, but they’re still a highly capable team that can win this game, especially if Ohio State still can’t pass well.
How to watch, stream, and listen
TV: 8 p.m. ET, ABC
Radio: Nebraska | Ohio State
Online streaming: WatchESPN
Spread: Ohio State is favored by 17 points.
Make friends: Get to SB Nation’s team blog chats for this game at Land-Grant Holy Land for Ohio State fans and Corn Nation for Nebraska fans.
Three big things to know
1. Ohio State has turned in two shaky performances in a row, losing to Penn State two weeks ago and then escaping with a win over Northwestern last Saturday. The Buckeyes are still in position to poach a playoff berth if things break their way, but they need to win out. If they sleepwalk into this game, the Huskers can easily take it from them.
2. There’s also the question of Nebraska’s mindset coming into this game. The Huskers lost their first game of the year last week to Wisconsin in overtime, but it’s hard to imagine they’ll come out flat, considering it’s a night game at Ohio State. If this were a sleepy lunchtime kickoff against Illinois, motivation might be a bigger issue.
3. This is effectively an elimination game for College Football Playoff consideration. At No. 6 and No. 10, respectively, Ohio State and Nebraska both already have a loss and can’t afford another if they want to sneak in. A common argument against the playoff was that it would devalue college football’s regular season, but if anything it has given a top-10 matchup another layer of intrigue.
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