Ohio State’s 2026 freshman class didn’t just show up against Ball State - it made an early imprint.
The headline belonged to Legend Bey, who needed only eight touches from scrimmage to pile up 74 yards and score a 25-yard touchdown that looked exactly like the kind of play his coaches and teammates had been talking about all offseason. Luke Fahey hit him on a short pass, and Bey did the rest, slipping through traffic with burst and sharp cuts before turning it into a house call.
“That dude's crazy, man,” Ohio State wide receiver Devin McCuin said of Bey. “He's electric.
He's a Texas kid, too. I'm so proud of him and his growth here.
He's going to be a great player.”
Bey’s debut also came with a reminder that freshman mistakes travel with the talent. On his first two kickoff returns, he brought the ball out of the end zone instead of taking the touchback, and Brandon Inniss was seen waving him to stay put.
Both times, Bey was stopped inside the 20. Ryan Day made clear afterward that the Buckeyes didn’t like seeing the same error twice.
“I think the more disappointing thing is the second time, it happened again,” Day said. “What we can’t do is make the same mistake twice.
So nobody felt worse than Legend on that, but those are trust things that we're going to have to continue to work on to build trust within the coaches and the teammates and the team. But you can see the talent.
You can. And he's got a good attitude when it comes to being corrected.
I think he has the right mindset when it comes to it.
“So we're going to work with him to get better. And I think you obviously see what the talent is and certainly what he can do when the ball is in his hands. So it's his job to continue to work to get better, build discipline and trust in the coaching staff, and it's our job as coaches to find ways to utilize his talents.”
That mix of flashes and rookie growing pains ran through Ohio State’s 56-3 win, but a handful of first-year players made their presence felt in real ways.
Jay Timmons didn’t start because the Buckeyes opened in a 4-3 look, but once Ohio State settled into nickel, the five-star cornerback was right where he was expected to be: in the slot and making plays. He finished with two pass breakups and allowed only two catches for 11 yards on five targets, per Pro Football Focus.
Khary Wilder also carved out an immediate role, joining the Buckeyes’ third-and-long Rushmen package and lining up at both defensive tackle and defensive end alongside Kenyatta Jackson Jr., Zion Grady and James Smith. His best snap came when he split two blockers from an interior spot and hurried Keldric Luster into an interception by TJ Alford.
Brock Boyd’s box score was modest - one catch for 22 yards - but his impact showed up in the dirty work. He rotated with the starters at wide receiver and helped spring both Bey’s touchdown and Bo Jackson’s 65-yard run with key blocks. Chris Henry Jr. added a crucial block on Jackson’s score as well.
“To see the effort of Brock Boyd running downfield, the block that Chris Henry had on that when you see the replay was excellent,” Day said. “That type of effort we can build on, so that's exciting to grow from.”
Henry, the top-rated prospect in Ohio State’s 2026 class, had a rocky start. Three passes hit his hands during the game, including two that could have been touchdowns and another from Fahey that ended up as an interception.
He finished on a better note, though, catching a 15-yard touchdown from Tavien St. Clair late in the fourth quarter.
“There are things that are going to happen as freshmen. I told Chris Henry, I think the first play of Jeremiah (Smith)'s career was a drop, and I said, just keep playing through it, which he did,” Day said. “So it was good to see him catch that ball at the end.”
Fahey’s own debut offered another small but notable clue about Ohio State’s quarterback picture. He was the first quarterback off the bench, entering before St.
Clair as the Buckeyes’ No. 2 option. Fahey finished 5 of 6 for 62 yards, with the lone blemish being an interception, and added one carry for three yards.
Day said the staff is still sorting out the backup job.
“I thought they both came in and played well,” Day said of Fahey and St. Clair.
“We were hoping to split the series with them, and that's what happened. I think we were able to get a sample size and go from there and see where that goes.
We decided to put Luke in first, but we'll continue to evaluate it and let those guys continue to work to get better.”
A longer list of freshmen also saw the field: CB Jordan Thomas had two tackles on 15 snaps; S Simeon Caldwell had one tackle on 24 snaps; WR Jerquaden Guilford caught one pass for 12 yards on 15 snaps; DE Darryus McKinley, LB Braxton Rembert and LB CJ Sanna each recorded a tackle; and TE Nick Lautar, DE Dre Quinn, DT Damari Simeon, DT Jamir Perez and DT Emanuel Ruffin all logged snaps.
Ball State was one thing. Texas next week will tell a lot more about who’s ready right now. But after one game, Bey, Timmons, Wilder, Boyd and Henry already look like freshmen Ohio State can count on, and the 2026 class looks like it has real star power waiting to bloom in Columbus.
In Other News...
Ohio States Receiver Rotation Just Got More Complicated Before Week 1
Ohio States receiver picture got a little murkier heading into Week 1 after Kyle Parker was ruled out for the opener against Ball State because of an injury. Ryan Day had already flagged Parker as dealing with a minor issue, and now the Buckeyes will have to open the season without one of the players in their wideout mix.
Chris Henry Jr. and Brock Boyd are among the receivers expected to get more snaps with Parker unavailable, which only adds another layer to a position group already under the microscope in camp. For a team trying to sort out roles early, even a short-term absence can matter, and this one gives Ohio State an early look at its depth before the real tests arrive. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State's Week 1 Start Just Added Fuel To A Huge Debate
Ohio States season opener did plenty to reinforce why the Big Ten already feels like the league to beat, with Julian Sayin looking sharp in his first extended action and the Buckeyes setting the tone early against Ball State. Across the conference, Indiana also came out strong behind new quarterback Josh Hoover, while Rutgers, Michigan State and Nebraska each left a little more uncertainty on the board after mixed openings.
Curt Cignettis postgame comments about the Big Ten being superior to the SEC only added to a debate that has been simmering for months, and former Ohio State coach Urban Meyers praise for the leagues strength gave it even more oxygen. For Buckeyes fans, the opening weekend was less about settling anything outright than about reminding everyone that Ohio State is already in the middle of a bigger argument about where the sports best football is being played. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Opener Made One Position Battle A Lot More Interesting
Ohio States season opener looked comfortable on the scoreboard, a 56-3 win that still left enough rough edges to keep the coaching staff busy. Jeremiah Smith delivered the kind of opening performance that reminds everyone why he is already such a focal point of the offense, piling up 151 yards and two touchdowns on eight catches, and Devin McCuin also made his mark as the Buckeyes worked through stretches of inconsistency on both sides of the ball.
One of the more intriguing takeaways came away from the spotlight plays, where freshman Legend Bey flashed enough on offense to suggest there is something to build on. His night also came with some costly special teams errors, though, and that is the kind of detail that can reshape how quickly a young player gets trusted in bigger moments. At quarterback, the depth chart also appeared to settle a little further, with Tavien St. Clair looking more like he is chasing the No. 3 job than threatening the top of the line behind Julian Sayin. [Read more 🡒]