Gabe VanSickle, once 'skittish' against Grambling, is ready for the test against Miami

The redshirt freshman is expected to make his first start in the Cotton Bowl.

Ohio State offensive lineman Gabe VanSickle at Cotton Bowl media day. (Photo by Bill Landis)

ARLINGTON, Texas — The Grambling State game felt fast. Since Gabe VanSickle is so confident now, he can tell you that he wasn’t back then. He was scared. Twenty snaps against an overmatched FCS team in week two felt like the world. He had performed well in practice, but this was his first game, and his mind was buzzing.

“My first few plays, I was a little skittish,” VanSickle recalled on Monday while standing on the turf field of AT&T Stadium, where the redshirt freshman is projected to make his first career start on Wednesday night against Miami in a College Football Playoff quarterfinal at the Cotton Bowl.

“Once you start playing more and more games, the speed slows down.”