Buckeyes Face Their Toughest Test Since the Season Opener: Keys to Success Against Washington

Ohio State Buckeyes cornerback Shaun Wade (24) and Ohio State Buckeyes safety Jordan Fuller (4) bring down Washington Huskies wide receiver Aaron Fuller (2) after a reception during the fourth quarter of the 105th Rose Bowl Game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Washington Huskies on Tuesday, January 1, 2019 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. © Joshua A. Bickel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

No. 1 Ohio State will have its hands full on Saturday as they head to Seattle to take on the unbeaten Washington Huskies in front of a sea of purple.

It is the first time the two have faced since the 2019 Rose Bowl, a game in which the Buckeyes won 28-23 with the help of the late Dwayne Haskins.

Tomorrow's matchup presents a different test, however, as Washington has won 22 straight home games, which is a school record and currently the second-longest active streak in the FBS.

While the Husky Stadium crowd is sure to be loud, Ryan Day and Co. have much bigger things to worry about, including Washington's dynamic QB Demond Williams Jr.

If the Buckeyes want to leave Seattle victorious, they'll need to execute in several critical areas. Here are three keys to success against Washington:

Capitalize in the Red Zone

Ohio State struggled to finish drives in the red zone against Ohio two weeks ago as they failed to convert on fourth and goal on their opening drive and later had to settle for two chip-shot field goals.

Against Washington, those stalled drives will not cut it as the Huskies have their own explosive offense on the other sideline, as they are averaging almost 56 points per game.

Fresh off a bye week, one can only hope the Buckeyes have made some progress in that area, though whether that translates on the field remains to be seen.

Scoring touchdowns, not field goals, will likely determine the outcome in a game where points will be at a premium.

That being said, improving in the red zone is priority No. 1 for the No. 1 Buckeyes.

Keep Williams' Scrambling Ability at Bay

It is always a tough ask for a defense to go up against a quarterback who can make plays outside of the pocket, but that is exactly what Matt Patricia is asking of his guys against Demond Williams Jr.

Williams has rushed for over 60 yards in every game this season and has found the end zone twice. He has also thrown for almost 800 yards and six touchdowns and has done so with a completion percentage of 73.5%.

His ability to create plays on the run is why the Buckeyes have to keep him contained in the pocket. The solution for this is to confuse Williams with different defensive looks and have Caleb Downs act as a QB spy in order to provide direct pressure.

Limiting Williams' ability to make plays can also limit the success of the Huskies' star receiver Denzel Boston and running back Jonah Coleman.

If Ohio State's defense can execute Patricia's game plan at a high level, they can prevent Washington's offense from producing explosive plays.

Sayin Needs to Keep His Poise

Some people forget that this is Julian Sayin's first-ever road start as the starting quarterback, so he has a lot to prove in this game.

How Sayin handles the crowd noise will play a crucial role in the game's outcome as Husky Stadium is one of the most underrated environments in college football.

To the relief of Buckeye fans, he has looked calm under pressure in several instances this season, especially in the season opener against top-ranked Texas.

Even after throwing two interceptions against Ohio, he never got rattled and still made throws with great touch and accuracy.

If Sayin maintains his composure and continues to make smart, accurate throws, Ohio State's offense will have a real shot to take control of the game.