Coming off its first loss of the season, Ohio State has a chance to reset against Kent State in Week 3. It’s the Buckeyes’ final non-conference game, and on paper it looks like the kind of matchup they’re expected to handle. But if the Golden Flashes are going to make things interesting, they’ll need a few players to step up and test an Ohio State team still trying to settle in.
One of the names to know is Dru DeShields. The second-year starter is back after Kent State’s best season since Sean Lewis’ final year as head coach in 2022.
DeShields threw for 2,030 yards and 18 touchdowns last season, helping the Golden Flashes finish 5-7 overall and 4-4 in the Mid-American Conference. Those 18 passing touchdowns are the fifth-most by a Kent State quarterback in a single season.
Kent State has also leaned on a two-back setup through its first two games, with one runner making the most of his chances and another still getting going. Mason Blakemore, now in his sixth college football season, hadn’t played a snap since 2022 at Northern Illinois before arriving at Kent State.
The fresh start has paid off so far, with 17 carries producing 94 yards. True freshman Brandon White has already carved out a role as well, gaining 47 yards on 16 carries.
Da’Realyst Clark gives Kent State another piece who can hurt a defense in different ways. The junior college transfer made an immediate impact last season, catching three passes for 108 yards and a touchdown while also throwing for 39 yards and another score on two completions.
He was especially dangerous as a return man, averaging 28.3 yards on 16 kick returns and bringing two back for touchdowns. This year, he’s become a bigger part of the passing game, with nine catches for 97 yards on 12 targets.
On the defensive side, Rocco Nicholl has been Kent State’s most productive player since rejoining the program. Nicholl originally arrived in 2022 and played his first three seasons with the Golden Flashes before transferring to South Florida in 2025.
After appearing in just four games there, he redshirted and returned to Kent State. He picked up where he left off after a 61-tackle season in 2024, and through two games this year he leads the team with 13 tackles, has two tackles for loss and has accounted for two of Kent State’s five sacks.
In Other News...
Ohio State Loss Keeps Getting More Awkward After Sarkisian Controversy
Texas comeback win over then-No. 1 Ohio State was already going to be remembered for the result, but the postgame noise has kept following it. Quarterback Arch Manning later apologized after laughing at an AI-generated video that showed coach Steve Sarkisian slapping ESPN reporter Holly Rowe, a moment that only added to the odd aftertaste surrounding a game the Buckeyes had let slip away.
Sarkisian also addressed the issue in a media meeting, saying he had skipped a postgame interview with Rowe because of a delay and because he chose to celebrate with his team instead. He said he respects Rowe and ESPN and expressed regret over how he handled it, another layer to a loss Ohio State fans were already trying to process as the off-field awkwardness kept building. [Read more 🡒]
Micah Parsons Just Revived A Massive Ohio State What-If
Micah Parsons has reopened one of those Ohio State recruiting what-ifs that never really disappears, especially when a player becomes one of the NFLs most disruptive defenders. The former Penn State star said he was close enough to Ohio State that he could picture what his career might have looked like in Columbus, where a front already stacked with elite pass rushers could have given him a different kind of launch point.
What makes the conversation linger is the way Parsons framed the fit with that Buckeyes defensive line. Ohio State has turned edge talent into a defining part of its identity, and Parsons imagining himself alongside names like Nick Bosa and Chase Young only adds to the intrigue of how much scarier that group might have been. The full story behind his decision is the kind of recruiting twist that still echoes years later, and it is easy to see why Buckeyes fans cannot help replaying it. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Secondary Has A Problem Big Ten Teams Will Notice
Ohio States secondary left Saturday with more questions than it wanted after a game against Texas in which coverage broke down on two pass plays that should have put the Buckeyes in real trouble. The only reason both snaps didnt turn into touchdowns was because Texas receivers failed to finish the job, a reminder that the back end is still searching for cleaner communication and tighter execution before Big Ten play begins.
Safety Earl Little Jr. acknowledged the need for improvement and stressed that every defender has to own his assignment if the unit is going to hold up against conference offenses. The coaching staff has kept practice demanding for exactly that reason, pushing the Buckeyes to sharpen the details now rather than hope they sort themselves out later. [Read more 🡒]