Ohio State’s fan base got a reality check after the Texas loss, but the Buckeyes just put up the kind of numbers that should calm the panic down a notch.
The preseason No. 1 team in both polls came into the year with national title expectations, and that made the one-point loss to Texas sting even more. The late collapse - blowing a 20-point lead in the fourth quarter - was the worst in program history, so it’s no surprise some fans went straight to doom mode. But one stat from the Kent State game says this team still has the kind of ceiling that keeps championship hopes alive.
After Ohio State rolled past Kent State 59-3, the Buckeyes posted the highest success rate in the country. In Week 3, they were the best team in the nation by that metric, and it wasn’t particularly close.
The game itself was never in doubt. Ohio State controlled things from start to finish and largely did whatever it wanted.
Still, there’s a limit to how much you can take away from a blowout like that, because Kent State is expected to be one of the worst teams in the MAC this season. Even so, the Buckeyes’ showing in all three phases was strong on paper.
The bigger test is still ahead. Ohio State has finished its non-conference schedule and now turns to Big Ten play, where the real answers start coming. That process ramps up in two weeks with a trip to Iowa City to face Iowa.
Before that, the Buckeyes get Illinois, and that’s another chance to build some momentum against a Big Ten opponent. The Fighting Illini have had a shaky start, beating UAB and Southern Illinois while losing to the only P6 team they’ve faced, Duke.
Ohio State should handle Illinois without much trouble, but the Buckeyes still have obvious work to do. The running game hasn’t been nearly explosive enough, and that remains a problem. Arthur Smith hasn’t fixed it yet, even though that’s part of why he was brought in.
So while the Texas loss exposed plenty, the Kent State blowout reminded everyone of the talent still sitting in Columbus. If Ohio State is going to win the Big Ten or make a national title run, the ground game has to start producing, and one back has yet to crack 100 yards in a game this season.
In Other News...
Ohio States Easy Win Couldnt Quiet One Big Concern
Ohio State handled Kent State 59-3 and put the game away early, taking a 35-0 lead into halftime and never letting the outcome feel in doubt. The Buckeyes still found enough balance to lean on the run, finishing with 145 rushing yards on 38 attempts, with Bo Jackson leading the way with 73 yards and a touchdown.
Even in a blowout, though, the ground game remains a point worth watching. Ohio States rushing offense is still inconsistent overall, sitting 79th nationally at just under 159 yards per game, and that leaves a gap between what this roster can be and what it has shown so far. The schedule will get less forgiving from here, and the Buckeyes will need more than a comfortable win to answer that concern. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Just Got A Clear Warning About Illinois Saturday
Illinois followed its loss to Duke with a much cleaner performance against Southern Illinois, and the part that should have Ohio State paying attention is how much more settled the Illini looked at the line of scrimmage. The offensive line showed progress, the run defense was sturdier, and the overall operation came across as a team that had already made some useful corrections before the matchup in Columbus.
Katin Houser also gave Illinois a steadier passing game by spreading the ball around, which matters because it hints at a more functional offense than the one that stumbled a week earlier. The defense, meanwhile, flashed enough improvement against the run to suggest this is not a team the Buckeyes can afford to overlook, even if the bigger question still hangs over whether those adjustments travel against a much faster and more talented opponent. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Fans Got A Big Noon Reminder Nobody Wanted
A rout should have sounded like a showcase, but Ohio States 59-3 win over Kent State came with a broadcast that drew as much attention as the score. FOX Sports announcer Gus Johnson delivered the game in a flat, muted tone, and he also made a factual mistake while discussing a players touchdown history, a rough combination in a matchup that was already struggling to hold viewers attention.
The bigger issue is one college football keeps circling back to every fall: games like this are increasingly hard to sell, even for a blueblood with a massive fan base. Ohio State can only do so much when the opponent is overmatched, and the broadcast only amplified the sense that fans, and maybe networks, would rather see a more competitive nonconference slate than another predictable Saturday afternoon tune-up. [Read more 🡒]