Western Michigan @ Ohio State preview

Top-ranked Ohio State has experienced some offensive struggles but coach Urban Meyer is sticking with junior Cardale Jones as the starting quarterback on Saturday when the Buckeyes host Western Michigan and look to post their 17th consecutive victory. Meyer announced after Wednesday's practice that he was staying with Jones because "the other guy has to pass him, either (in practice) or in games and that hasn't happened."

The "other guy" is sophomore J.T. Barrett, who was enjoying an outstanding season last year before a fractured ankle opened the door for Jones to lead the Buckeyes to the national championship. Barrett played the entire second half of last Saturday's 20-13 victory over Northern Illinois and failed to perform well enough to wrestle the job away from Jones. "It's not him, it's the offense right now that's in a funk," Meyer said of Jones. "When you're not getting protected, when you're not balanced, when you're not controlling the line of scrimmage, when you're not perimeter blocking, the quarterback struggles." Western Michigan has dropped 13 consecutive games against current Big Ten programs since posting a 28-19 victory at Iowa in 2007.

TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, ABC/ESPN2. LINE: Ohio State -31.5.

ABOUT WESTERN MICHIGAN (1-2): The Broncos throw the ball a lot and junior receiver Daniel Braverman leads the nation with 40 receptions while totaling 398 yards and three touchdowns. Braverman isn't the only top target junior quarterback Zach Terrell (947 yards, eight touchdowns, five interceptions) has at his disposal as junior receiver Corey Davis ranks fifth in school history with 2,648 receiving yards. Sophomore cornerback Darius Phillips has registered Western Michigan's lone interception and returned it for a touchdown and he also has a kickoff return score while averaging 30.1 yards.

ABOUT OHIO STATE (3-0): Jones had passed for just 334 yards and has thrown more interceptions (three) than touchdown passes (two), while Barrett has thrown for 193 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. While the passing game has been a weakness, junior running back Ezekiel Elliott continues to be a force with 331 rushing yards and eight straight 100-yard games dating to last season. The defense is allowing 12.3 points and 225 yards per game and receiving stellar play from senior outside linebacker Joshua Perry (team-best 25 tackles) and sophomore outside linebacker Darron Lee (team-best 3.5 tackles for losses to go with a 41-yard interception return for a score).

EXTRA POINTS

1. Ohio State has never previously faced Western Michigan but improved to 31-1 all-time against Mid-American Conference foes when it defeated Northern Illinois 20-13 last Saturday.

2. The Buckeyes have 12 sacks through three games but junior All-American DE Joey Bosa has just one-half of a sack.

3. Broncos sophomore RB Jarvion Franklin has a team-best 242 rushing yards after rushing for 1,551 yards and a school-record 24 touchdowns last season.

PREDICTION: Ohio State 66, Western Michigan 10