Ohio State is heading into Saturday with a short memory and a long list of things to clean up after last weekend’s collapse in Austin. Blowing a 20-point fourth-quarter lead against Texas was a gut punch for Ryan Day’s team, and now Kent State walks into Columbus at the wrong time.
The Buckeyes have already seen one MAC opponent this season and handled Ball State 56-3. This matchup should be even more one-sided, but the bigger question is how Ohio State responds after failing to close out the Longhorns. Here are three bold calls for the game.
First, don’t be surprised if the starters are still out there in the fourth quarter. Under normal circumstances, Day would probably have the game wrapped up well before that point and start emptying the bench early in the second half.
This doesn’t feel like a normal week, though. Ohio State came away from Texas with a loss that stings, and Day may want his team to keep pressing instead of easing off.
The Buckeyes should have this one under control by halftime, but there’s a real chance Day keeps his first unit on the field for a couple of drives in the fourth quarter on both sides of the ball. Both the offense and defense backed off last week, and both could use a jolt of confidence.
Second, Bo Jackson could finally deliver the kind of first half Ohio State has been waiting for. The 2026 campaign has not gone the way he’d hoped.
Against Ball State, he was held in check until a 65-yard burst in the third quarter helped him finish with 83 rushing yards. Against Texas, he managed 74 yards and averaged just 3.9 yards per carry.
The running game as a whole hasn’t really taken off yet, but that could change quickly against Kent State. Arthur Smith should lean on the ground game early, and Jackson has a chance to pile up 100-plus rushing yards before halftime.
Even with an offensive line that may be missing a starter, Ohio State should still have enough talent up front to create space.
Third, Khary Wilder may finally get the workload his play has earned. A lot of the freshman buzz has centered on Legend Bey, and that attention makes sense, but Wilder has looked like the more promising young piece so far.
He hasn’t played a ton, yet his snaps have mattered. In Week 1, he helped create pressure on Keldric Luster before the interception by TJ Alford.
Against Texas, he was on the field for just five snaps but still recorded two pressures on Arch Manning. That kind of production is hard to ignore.
This feels like the game where Wilder breaks through into a real rotation role. After what he’s done against the Golden Flashes, he could even push himself into starting territory.
At the very least, Ohio State needs him on the field more.
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Ohio State May Need More Khary Wilder Than Anyone Expected
Khary Wilder arrived at Ohio State with the kind of high school rsum that naturally creates a little buzz, and early this season he has started to justify it. The freshman defensive lineman has already shown he can move around the front, handle multiple spots and make his presence felt even in limited snaps, which is exactly the sort of flexibility the Buckeyes tend to value when the games start to tighten up.
Wilders early impact has also created a familiar kind of coaching dilemma: how much more can a young player give you before his role has to grow? Ohio State has plenty of bodies up front, but Wilders versatility and activity have made it hard to ignore him, and as the season goes on the question may not be whether he is ready for more playing time, but how soon the Buckeyes are willing to give it to him. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State's Big Ten Slate Sets Up A Brutal Test For Jake Diebler
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The road starts quickly, with Big Ten play opening at Nebraska on Dec. 2, then stretches through a winter that will demand balance and consistency from a roster trying to climb in the league. Ohio State closes the regular season at home against Michigan on March 7, which gives the Buckeyes a fittingly big finish, even if the larger question is how they handle the tough middle months before that showdown arrives. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio States Pass Rush Is Suddenly A Serious Concern After Texas
Texas found too much comfort against Ohio States defense, and that was a problem long before the Longhorns finished their late rally. Arch Manning had time to settle in, the Buckeyes rarely sped him up, and the game tilted when Texas turned that breathing room into three straight touchdowns to erase the deficit and leave Ryan Day searching for answers on the defensive front.
Day pointed to injuries and personnel issues up front, but the bigger issue is the Buckeyes need a more reliable pass rush in a hurry. There were a few flashes from an otherwise thin rotation, including some encouraging signs from young defenders, yet Ohio State cannot spend much time waiting for help to arrive while the pressure package remains this limited. [Read more 🡒]