While there's plenty of reason to be hopeful in regards to the Washington Huskies' chances against the No. 1 Ohio State Buckeyes on Saturday, there's no question the game will be an uphill battle. The Buckeyes are the defending national champions, and boast one of the most talented rosters in all of college football.
Home-field advantage at Husky Stadium, where fans have seen 22 wins in a row will be a huge plus, and we know what to expect from the offensive trio of Demond Williams Jr., Jonah Coleman, and Denzel Boston -- but the Dawgs will still need major contributions from the rest of the roster. The Huskies won't be able to match up talent for talent with the Buckeyes across the board, but the efforts of some of these players will be a major key in evening the playing field.
1. Whoever is guarding Jeremiah Smith
Buckeyes wide receiver Jeremiah Smith poses the biggest threat to Washington's defense. The sophomore pass catcher is arguably the best player in the entire country, racking up a bevy of awards in just his freshman season a year ago. This season, he is averaging a touchdown and over 100 yards per game through three contests.
Thus, it will be imperative that the Huskies' secondary limits his impact on offense. The issue is that it's not entirely clear which defensive back will have the Smith assignment. Star cornerback Tacario Davis is the obvious answer, but he is still on the injury report after missing last game against Washington State.
If Davis doesn't play, or if defensive coordinator Ryan Walters wants a healthier player to cover Smith, Ephesians Prysock becomes the clear solution. Prysock, 6-foot-4, certainly has the size to handle Smith and has the competitive fire to embrace him in a 1-on-1 battle. Even then, it will have to be a group effort from the rest of the secondary to ensure quarterback Julian Sayin doesn't throw Smith's way.
Depth cornerbacks Leroy Bryant, Rahshawn Clark, and Dylan Robinson will need to step up, as well -- especially considering Ohio State has other receiving threats like Carnell Tate to be accounted for.
2. Xe'ree Alexander
Linebacker Taariq Al-Uqdah was Washington's leading tackler going into the Apple Cup, but unfortunately was removed from the game due to a knee injury. He won't play against Ohio State, and will likely be out for an extended period of time.
Xe'ree Alexander is the clear backup that should come in to take on Al-Uqdah's responsibilities. Alexander was second on UCF last season with 68 tackles before transferring to UW, and has the physical tools to be reliable in coverage and in stuffing the run. He's appeared sparingly in two games for the Huskies so far this season, with only three total tackles.
If not Alexander, look out for Anthony Ward to replace Al-Uqdah in the starting lineup. Current starting linebacker Deven Bryant, who leads the team with 17 tackles, will also need to have an even greater presence on defense.