For the second time this season, Ohio State is facing the Big Ten's leading rusher.
Against Rutgers, the Buckeyes limited Robert Martin to 40 yards on 13 carries. Ohio State has a fresh challenge this week in Northwestern running back Justin Jackson, who now leads the conference with 792 yards.
Consecutive losses was not how Northwestern was expected to start, especially not against second-week opponent Illinois State, which beat the Wildcats 9-7 as Jackson rushed for only 42 yards and was injured.
That game seemed to awaken Jackson and the Northwestern offense. The Wildcats have won four of their past five, including a stretch in which they scored 116 total points in wins over Iowa, Michigan State and Indiana.