Expert Ohio State football predictions for Minnesota game
Ohio State, ranked No. 2 in the College Football playoff poll, will host Minnesota in its final home game of the 2023 season.
The No. 2 Buckeyes will take on the Golden Gophers for the first time since the 2021 season opener Saturday afternoon.
Ohio State has won 12 straight games against Minnesota, 10 of which have been decided by double digits. The Golden Gophers' last win against the Buckeyes came Oct. 14, 2000, in Columbus.
Here is what the writers at The Columbus Dispatch and St. Paul Pioneer Press predict for Saturday's game:
Bill Rabinowitz
Ohio State beat writer
The Columbus Dispatch
Ohio State 31, Minnesota 0
The Buckeyes' defense has done everything but post a shutout. Maybe this is finally the day. Minnesota's offense ranks 100th nationally, Ohio State's offense is certainly capable of scoring more than 31 points against the injury-depleted Golden Gophers. But I suspect Ryan Day will pull most of his starters if the game is in hand to keep players healthy for next week's game, which I hear is a big one.
Joey Kaufman
Ohio State beat writer
The Columbus Dispatch
Ohio State 35, Minnesota 13
There are a handful of factors that could make this matchup a competitive one. Perhaps the Buckeyes will overlook the Golden Gophers with a climactic confrontation on tap next week at Michigan. Maybe Darius Taylor, the freshman running back who has led Minnesota in rushing, returns from an injury to reignite a ground game that has dipped without on a two-game losing skid. But the Buckeyes appear to be peaking at the right time, especially on offense, and they’ll put up enough points to win comfortably.
Rob Oller
Sports columnist
The Columbus Dispatch
Ohio State 38, Minnesota 6
The Buckeyes probably could name their score − as long as it's under 50; this offense struggles to light up the scoreboard the way OSU fans have come to expect − but will rest its most important players with the Michigan game next week. Even so, this 4 p.m. kickoff will be over by the time the sun sets (5:18 p.m.); the Ohio State defense is not about to let the Golden Gophers make a game of it. The Silver Bullets again barely miss collecting their first shutout of the season.
Colin Gay
Real-time reporter
The Columbus Dispatch
Ohio State 35, Minnesota 10
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While the focus may be on the regular-season finale Nov. 25, Ohio State has enough momentum to get through Minnesota. Facing an offense in the bottom half of the Big Ten and averaging less than four yards per play, the Buckeyes' second-ranked scoring defense should lead the way regardless of if Kyle McCord, Marvin Harrison Jr. and the Ohio State offense continue the momentum from the Michigan State win or not. Expect a comfortable Buckeyes win that is quickly forgotten with Michigan on its way.
Andy Greder
Minnesota beat writer
St. Paul Pioneer Press
● Ohio State 38, Minnesota 10
Comparing how the Buckeyes dispatched Purdue 41-7 on Oct. 14 and the Gophers allowed the Boilermakers to put up 600 total yards in a 49-30 loss last week, it's easy to see Marvin Harrison Jr. galloping down the middle of the field for multiple touchdowns in an easy win.
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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio State football predictions vs. Minnesota
