Ohio State’s margin for error is gone, and Saturday’s matchup with Northwestern is the only thing in front of it now.
The Buckeyes are sitting at No. 20 in the College Football Playoff rankings, and they’re still alive in the race. But they’re no longer in control of their own path. The only move available is simple: beat the Wildcats.
They came close to getting some help Friday night when No. 4 UCLA was pushed into a tight game by Illinois.
If the Bruins had lost, it would have shifted the picture and moved Ohio State a step closer to the top of the Big Ten. That didn’t happen, but the rest of the league still has plenty of movement ahead.
Indiana and USC are set to face off, which guarantees one loss there, and both will still have a cross-town meeting with UCLA left on the schedule. Oregon, meanwhile, is in the best position with three winnable games remaining. Iowa is hanging around too, waiting for a chance to stay in the mix until the end.
Even if Ohio State runs the table, there’s still a chance it comes up short. But winning out would at least give the Buckeyes a shot to work their way back into both the Big Ten picture and the College Football Playoff discussion.
That kind of climb will require a much better version of this team than the one that’s shown up so far. Right now, the product just hasn’t been good enough.
On offense, Jeremiah Smith has been the one consistent bright spot. Outside of him, Ohio State hasn’t gotten much from anyone, and the overall attack has been described as one of the most boring, vanilla offenses in the country. Brooks Austin went as far as to call it “an Iowa offense with Jeremiah Smith at wide receiver.”
The defense hasn’t been much more encouraging. The two cornerbacks have been solid, but the rest of the unit has been mostly average at best. The defensive line, in particular, has been flat-out bad.
So the equation is clear: the Buckeyes need multiple players to raise their level, and they need it now. If that happens, they can still stay in the conversation. If it doesn’t, Saturday could get very interesting.
In Other News...
Desmond Howard Took Another Shot At Jeremiah Smith And Buckeyes Fans Wont Like It
Desmond Howard stirred the pot again on First Take, taking aim at Jeremiah Smith and suggesting the Ohio State receiver has not delivered decisive moments in big games over the past two years. It is the kind of criticism that lands loudly in Columbus, especially with Smith already carrying the kind of national profile that makes every comment about him feel bigger than it should.
The pushback is easy to find in Ohio States own recent games, from Smiths game-winning touchdown against Indiana to a strong showing against Iowa that featured key receptions and scores. Even with the Buckeyes College Football Playoff path still uncertain, Smith remains one of the sports top Heisman Trophy candidates, which is exactly why any fresh swipe at his big-game rsum is going to get noticed. [Read more 🡒]
Northwestern Coach Sounds Off After Ohio State Call Changed The Game
David Braun had plenty to say after Northwesterns 28-19 loss to Ohio State, and much of it started with respect for the Buckeyes. The Wildcats coach praised Ohio States performance and pointed to the programs recent success as the kind of standard his team is trying to chase, even while the result left Northwestern still searching for a breakthrough in Big Ten play.
Braun also made clear he disagreed with the replay ruling that helped swing momentum toward an Ohio State touchdown, a moment that only added to Northwesterns frustration. Beyond the officiating, he said the Wildcats have to clean up their penalties, and he offered a cautious update on injured quarterback Aidan Chiles, saying the recovery remains a week-to-week process. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Let This One Slip Away Against No. 4 UConn
Ohio State had a chance to measure itself against one of the nations best, but No. 4 UConn steadily took control and turned the matchup into an 84-68 loss for the Buckeyes. Braylon Mullins led the way with 22 points and five 3-pointers, while Najai Hines added 17 of his career-high 20 points as the Huskies found their rhythm and kept pressure on Ohio State throughout the night.
The Buckeyes were undone by a second-half surge from UConn, which shot a season-best 61.2% from the field and 47.4% from beyond the arc. Ohio States 16 turnovers made the climb even steeper, and Jimmie Williams 17 points were not enough to keep the Buckeyes within striking distance once the game started slipping away. [Read more 🡒]