Besides arguably quarterback play, no factor is more important to winning college football games than owning the lines of scrimmage.
Last year, Ohio State enjoyed dominant quarterback play on the way to winning 12 of 13 games which often bailed out a suspect ability to consistently dominate the line of scrimmage by rushing the football consistently and stopping the run just as effectively.
Ohio State's storied defensive history is littered with elite groups that could stop the run. Last year, however, the Buckeyes struggled mightily giving up the most rushing touchdowns (26), highest yards per carry (4.