General Information
Ball State Cardinals @ Ohio State Buckeyes (-50.5)
Saturday, September 5
12:30 p.m. on Big Ten Network
Ohio Stadium (Columbus, Ohio)
Columbus, Ohio – College Football is back in the capital of Ohio, with the Ball State Cardinals traveling to Columbus to take on the Buckeyes. Fans are buzzing to get Ohio State’s trek back to the National Championship started, so let’s start our preview! Here, you can find a full rundown of what to expect and the keys to the game for the first challenge of OSU’s fresh campaign.
Quick Look at the Cardinals
Ball State finished 4-8 last season under head coach Mike Uremovich in his first year. Uremovich is back this year and looking to improve. The Cardinals were 0-7 away from home last season, and the odds are not in their favor this Saturday.
The Cardinals added over 30 players this offseason, utilizing the transfer portal to improve across the board. Key transfers include Texas State quarterback Keldric Luster, who will lead his offense against the newly revamped OSU defense. Despite the heavy roster turnover, the Cardinals’ offensive line features retention; they keep star veteran offensive tackles Chris Hood and Tristan Cook.
One of the main goals of this squad is to jumpstart an offense that averaged just 15.8 points per game and surrendered a MAC-high 49 sacks in 2025. Their offensive scheme emphasizes play-action and getting ball-carriers into space. Defensively, there is a heavy reliance on the secondary to prevent big plays. This group will have their hands full this week with star wide receiver Jeremiah Smith.
Keys to the Game
Confidence: The Buckeye’s roster features blue chip talent across the board, they should come into this one knowing they are the more athletic and talented squad. That level of confidence will help push out any season-opener nerves, allowing the Buckeyes to open the gates early and fast.
Aggressive on Offense: The Buckeyes’ offense will be one of the best in the country this season, meaning they need to use that talent to their advantage. Taking early shots,and looking to open this game up early is vital. A fans dream start likely includes Jeremiah Smith running a go-route down the sideline and catching the defenders off-guard. That kind of explosive energy can set the tone for the whole season: The Buckeyes aren’t afraid to let it fly with one of the best WR-QB duos in the nation.
Push the Tempo: Some historical upsets have happened early on in the season due to slow starts. An example would be NIU beating Notre Dame. Notre Dame was a much better team, but they didn’t get rolling early and fell apart. The Buckeyes must stomp on the Cardinals’ hope early, keeping them out of the game before it even starts.
Ohio State Football is back. This weekend will be filled with buzz all-around. The Buckeyes’ goal should be to avoid making headlines and handle business on Saturday!
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