The Ohio State Buckeyes will face Navy on the road in their 2014 season opener as they begin life without quarterback Braxton Miller.
No. 5 Ohio State will open their season on the road against Navy, and they will have to fight through it without quarterback Braxton Miller, who underwent shoulder surgery. J.T. Barrett will take over for the Buckeyes.
They will also move on without running back Carlos Hyde, so the offense is expected to take a step back. However, Evan Spencer and Devin Smith will both return as the starting wide receivers.
The defense should also be better with eight returning starters, including their entire defensive line. Head coach Urban Meyer has a proven track record in getting the most out of any player who steps on the field.
Navy is coming off a 9-4 season, and dual-threat quarterback Keenan Reynolds will return after rushing for 1,346 yards and 31 touchdowns. His accuracy is underwhelming as he only completed 53 percent of his passes, but he only threw two interceptions against eight passing touchdowns in 2013.
The Midshipmen have proven themselves capable of competing with teams such as Notre Dame last season when they lost 38-34, but the Buckeyes will be a test for them even without Miller. Barrett will look to prove himself in his redshirt freshman season.
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